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47,556 | 861c7e5628d13344e84cbb0a0c905bd4ef928736 | Staff at a McDonald's brought a whole new meaning to Happy Meals when they aired hardcore pornography to late-night diners. The branch in a small Swiss town showed explicit scenes including several different kinds of sex acts on the in-store televisions. Presumably the sound was turned off, for a witness reported that the hard core broadcasts went on for some time before staff even noticed it was playing. That's not tartare sauce! A shocked youth looks up at television screens showing hardcore porn at a branch of McDonald's in a small Swiss town after workers tuned into a sports channel that switched to adult fare . The company has since apologised, saying workers had switched to a German sports channel at a customer's request - without realising that later in the evening the station switched to adult fare. The incident occurred in Zuchwil, a town of about 8,600 in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, where the diner who took these photos went to the McDonald's with some friends for hamburgers. They weren't expecting to get a free side order of X-rated sauce from the Sexy Sports Clips programme aired by the Munich-based Sport 1 channel. The skin flick had followed on after the end of the usual sports broadcasting that evening. 'We were only a group of men so it didn't bother us, although what would have happened if there was a family in the restaurant at that time I don't know,' said the diner, who sent these pictures into Swiss news site 20 Minuten. An employee finally noticed there was a problem and changed the channel. A very Happy Meal: The incident occurred in Zuchwil, a town of about 8,600 in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, where diner Steffen Reiniger, 24, went to the McDonald's with some friends for hamburgers . Double Sausage and Egg McMuffin: McDonald's local representatives apologised for the mistake but said it was pardonable since workers were obviously to busy attending to customers to realise that was on TV . McDonald's said employees usually left TVs tuned to the Eurosport channel, but sometimes workers 'change the channel to please a customer,' McDonald's spokesman Aglae Strachwitztold 20 Minuten. On this occasion it was changed to a different sports channel that, unbeknown to the staff, also included a porn show. She said the mistake was pardonable. 'If our employees didn't immediately realise what was going on it's because they were concentrating on our customers and their work,' she said. | Workers in the Swiss McDonald's branch had put on a German channel .
But they didn't realise when sports broadcasting switched to skin flicks .
McDonald's spokesman apologises but says it wasn't the staff's fault . |
163,651 | 5fa170f798da49209636119924113d7b9528b0b1 | A would-be attacker was left battered and arrested after being beaten up when he tried to grab a 14-year-old female - who turned out to be a martial arts expert. The 35-year-old man got more than he bargained for when he grabbed the young girl's arms as she walked home alone through a park near her home. The young teen, who has studied self-defence and martial arts for some time, broke free from his hold and connected with several punches and kicks she threw at the man - who was more than twice her age. The 14-year-old girl was grabbed in this scenic park by a man but luckily she was trained in martial arts and beat him off . Sussex Police are now appealing for any witnesses to the incident yesterday morning in Tilgate Park, Crawley. A short time after the attack, police arrested a man on suspicion of assault. The man, described by police as being 'very thin' and around 5ft 7in, was questioned then later released on bail until the end of the month. Police have made an arrest but are still looking for anyone who was in Tilgate Park yesterday morning and saw what happened to the teenage girl . Detective Inspector Andy Bennett said: "Although we have made an arrest, we need to speak to anyone who was in Tilgate Park on Saturday morning and saw what happened. "We need to find people who may have seen a man acting suspiciously in or around the park on Saturday or on other occasions. "The teenager was badly shaken by what happened but was not injured. "We do not know what the man's motive was but need to identify him to find out." | Girl, 14, attacked in Tilgate Park, Crawley, Sussex yesterday morning .
Man, 35, unaware girl has studied self-defence and martial arts .
'Very thin' and short man arrested by police and bailed until end of month . |
120,928 | 284e1f2a12dcbd136dd3dfffe46cb74276a77bdb | By . Jack Doyle, Political Correspondent . Stressed: Parents and carers - who already have the right to ask for flexible working - could lose out to those with less pressing responsibilities . Britain's 30million workers will have the right to demand flexible hours from Monday – even if they just want a lie-in or time off to pursue a hobby. They will not have to give a reason why they want to be off at certain times and companies have been told they cannot judge requests on merit. It means parents and carers – who already have the right to ask for flexible working – could lose out to those with less pressing responsibilities. A request from a mother who wants to start work later so she can take her children to nursery will carry no more weight than one from a colleague simply wanting to spend a bit longer in bed. Bosses expect to be hit with a deluge of requests which must be considered in the order received. Astonishingly, government officials have told business groups that if employers receive conflicting requests which they cannot honour they should ‘put the names in a hat’. Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the new rules meant that those with stronger claims to flexible working could lose out. He said: ‘The new rules make it harder for employers to prioritise requests. They cannot prioritise one employee over another, whereas before you could prioritise those who had childcare responsibilities or carer responsibilities for example.’ When the measures were first announced by Nick Clegg in November 2012, businesses warned they would lead to more red tape. Many firms already offer flexible terms, but there are fears that the new rules could lead to a string of legal actions. There are also concerns that the ‘right to ask’ for flexible working will be confused with a ‘right to have’. Phil Orford, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, said: ‘Our members recognise the benefits of flexible working and wherever possible have sought to work with employees to provide flexible working options. ‘However, extending the right to request flexible working to all employees will simply make the consideration process the employer needs to follow more complicated and time-consuming and only add to the administrative pressures already felt by many small business owners.’ Flexible working laws were first introduced in 2003. Currently they mean firms must consider requests from parents with children under 17 and from those with caring responsibilities for elderly parents or other dependents. Lib Dem business minister Jo Swinson, pictured said extending the right to request flexible working will help to create a shift towards more modern workplaces . But from Monday, all workers will have the same ‘right to ask’ after they have been in a job for six months. They can make one request a year and businesses can only refuse under eight specific reasons, such as if the change creates additional costs or does not fit with customer demand.Employees who are unhappy with the decision can appeal. Lib Dem business minister Jo Swinson said: ‘Extending the right to request flexible working will help to create a cultural shift towards more modern, 21st century workplaces where working flexibly is the norm. ‘Firms that embrace flexible working are more likely to attract and retain the best talent and reap the benefits of a more motivated workforce. ‘Employees will benefit from being able to balance work with other commitments in their lives. It also helps drive a cultural shift where flexible working becomes the norm.’ | Britain's 30million workers will have the right to demand flexible hours .
They will not have to give a reason why they want to be off at certain times .
Bosses expect to be hit with a deluge of requests which must be considered in order they were received .
Government bosses say move will make for more modern workplaces . |
82,384 | e98b95ce584b90d54e06f0d2c17471eede77659f | New York (CNN) -- Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," was appointed to the board of directors of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum's board of directors. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the chairman of the board, introduced Stewart to the board during its quarterly meeting this week, according to a news release from the memorial and museum. Memorial President Joe Daniels explained why Stewart was an obvious choice. "Jon Stewart is an incredibly important figure in today's news media, but he's also a New Yorker who felt -- as we all did -- the world changed in a matter of minutes on September 11. "Since then, he has taken a definitive stance on so many issues that relate directly to our organization's mission of commemoration and education." Stewart garnered national attention after dedicating an entire broadcast of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central to pushing for federal money to be used for health care of first responders at ground zero. President Obama signed the 9/11 health bill into law earlier this month. "Jon loves New York as much as I do," Bloomberg said in news release. "He understands how important the memorial and museum are, both to the city and the whole country." "I'm very humbled," Stewart told the New York Times. "Luckily for me, it appears as if they've done 95 percent of the hard labor on this. So I'm hoping to help in any way I can offer." And he added, the Times said,, "I'm like their intern at this point." Victims' family members, 9/11 survivors, business pioneers and leading philanthropists are also members of the now 48-member board. Other members who have careers in the entertainment industry include Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal. The memorial and museum will be located on eight of the 16 acres of the former World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. The memorial is scheduled to open to the public on September 12 of this year and the museum on September 11, 2012. | Jon Stewart has been a strong supporter of the project and 9/11 causes .
He dedicated a broadcast of "The Daily Show" to pushing for a bill for first responders .
Mayor Bloomberg: "He understands how important the memorial and museum are" |
248,677 | cdc5f71db398c86e90e7128263eee306747dba23 | With Christmas holidays and the New Year edging ever closer, a packed social diary can often mean pressure to drink more than usual. During the festive season, it has become an accepted norm that people will drink excessively, whether it be as a celebratory mood enhancer, friendly peer pressure or as a means of coping with the additional pressures that Christmas time can bring. 'People drink to have fun at Christmas, but often people are drinking to calm their nerves during social functions,' said hypotherapist Georgia Foster. 'That could be a work function or spending time with their judgemental Great Aunt Joan.' The festive season can quickly turn 'festy' as people struggle with hangovers and poor health, because of some crucial errors they make when drinking. People drink to have fun at Christmas, but often endless parties, functions and family lunches means people can fall into unhealthy habits and drink to excess too frequently . A list has been devised of ten tips to help avoid over drinking at Christmas, to avoid hangovers, embarrassment and long-term damage . However, feeling nasty the next morning isn't the only reason why curbing your drinking is a wise decision. Extreme drinking, even once a year, can have catastrophic effects on long-term health and many people are completely unaware that the amount they drink is considered harmful . One in five adults drink at levels that place them at risk of lifetime harm. More than two in five adults drink at levels that put them at risk of an alcohol-related injury, according to a 2014 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report. In fact, one-in-five drinkers aged 18 years and over in 2012-2013, drank at levels exceeding the 2009 guidelines for long-term and lifetime drinking risk management. Ms Foster is a leading clinical hypnotist and the creator of the Drink Less Mind program, which helps individuals reduce the amount they drink . Although expert Georgia Foster says is perfectly acceptable to drink and be merry at Christmas time, she has devised a list of tips to help people minimise hangovers and embarrassment in December. She says it is important to be mindful of not only how much or how fast you are drinking, but also the reasons why you keep filling your glass. Ms Foster is a leading clinical hypnotist and the creator of the Drink Less Mind program,which helps individuals reduce the amount they drink. Ms Foster says stopping altogether may not necessarily be the answer but learning to control your drinking this Christmas can increase a person's happiness. Anybody who find themselves drinking to feel better need to drink to feel better is displaying a negative relationship with alcohol, according to Ms Foster. 1. Decide before you go out how much you are going to drink over the hours you are there and stick to it. 2. Put a message or photo on your phone to remind you of an embarrassing drunk memory. When you are considering drinking more than you had planned, look at the image or message. You most likely will not reach for another drink! 3. Finish each drink before you have a top up so you can gauge how much you are drinking. 4. Opt out of all cocktails and punches. They can be lethal and hard to tell how much alcohol is in them. 5. Do not be coerced into drinking to please others. Tell little white lies if you need to. Such as: Feign you are taking antibiotics or just a little under the weather. Even better, tell people you have a ‘cracking hangover’ and couldn’t fathom a drink! 6. DOWO Policy. Drink one, water one. Alternate between alcohol and water, to keep you hydrated. 7. Drink from your non-dominant hand. It will seem a little uncomfortable, so it will make you more aware of how much you are drinking. 8. Drink a big glass of water before you start drinking, to hydrate yourself. You will often drink alcoholic beverages too fast if you are thirsty. 9. If you are shy or bored, instead of reaching for the alcohol to calm you down or entertain you, shift your thinking to something funny and sing silently “baa baa black sheep” at the same time. This will distract your mind away from self doubt and shift your thinking into a positive state. 10. When feeling anxious, take one deep belly breath and count to five. Repeat that three times. When you breathe into that part of the body you make more endorphins. You physically change the chemical make up of your brain to feel happier.' Although it is perfectly acceptable to celebrate with drinks at Christmas, there are some crucial errors that people make which result in over-drinking . The solution may not simply be about ditching the drink altogether but rather re-establishing the relationship with alcohol, and learning how to enjoy it at a minimised intake. 'I specialise in why people drink,' said Ms Foster. 'I'm Australian and I get it! I'm not against drinking.' 'The top of drinking is often taboo when it shouldn't be because it's a part of our culture.' Ms Foster says drinking for fun or for celebratory reasons is understandable, but often there are emotional reasons that dictate how we drink and how much we consume. 'For a lot of people it's not their drinking but their thinking that is the real problem,' said Ms Foster. Ms Foster says drinking for fun or for celebratory reasons is understandable, but often there are emotional reasons that dictate how we drink and how much we consume . Ms Foster says there are two important problems to address when it comes to a person's drinking habits: why they drink and how they drink. 'There are emotional drivers that make people drink that they're unaware of,' she said. People may feel the need to drink because of their insecurities, a problem which Ms Foster helps to correct through teaching mindfulness, self-awareness and positivity. A person's negative thinking, known as their 'inner critic', comes from 'the negative part of their brain' called the Amygdala. Neuroscientists have proven that alcohol affects the Amygdala, stopping these subconscious thoughts and helping the person to calm down. Drink a big glass of water before you start drinking, to hydrate yourself. You will often drink alcoholic beverages too fast if you are thirsty. Also drink a glass of water between every alcoholic beverage . 'If a person in the past has used alcohol as a mood enhancer or to silence these thoughts, it often becomes a learned behaviour,' said Ms Foster. A lot of people are socially shy and use alcohol at those times to relax or feel more confident. 'Christmas is a time that can trigger a person's vulnerability and drinking is a way to numb that,' said Ms Foster. 'People often don't realise it when they're drinking to escape negativity.' People frequently make basic mistakes when drinking, which results in drinking too quickly or consuming more than planned. One hilarious, but understandably effective way to make sure you don't drink too much is by using photos on your phone. Ms Foster recommends putting a message or photo on your phone to remind you of an embarrassing drunk memory. 'When you are considering drinking more than you had planned, look at the image or message,' explains Ms Foster. 'You most likely will not reach for another drink!' Ms Foster recommends putting a message or photo on your phone to remind you of an embarrassing drunk memory to avoid overdrinking . If a person is feeling uncomfortable, they should change how they feel instead of drinking to mask their emotions. A breath is often all it takes. 'When feeling anxious, take one deep belly breath and count to five. Repeat that three times,' said Ms Foster. 'When you breathe into that part of the body you make more endorphins. 'You physically change the chemical make up of your brain to feel happier.' Positive thinking also prevents drinking to mask feelings of self-doubt or anxiety. 'If you're going into an environment that will make you feel vulnerable, imagine a time with a laugh or a time where you felt love and your brain will shift. 'You will feel positive and also learn that the positive memories are part of the social space and the drinking issue.' The benefits of drinking less during the Christmas period include less hangovers, reduced weight gain, increased energy and often increased confidence . She says the problem is when people become accustomed to alcohol and need to drink more to experience the same sensations. 'As your body gets used to drinking, the one glass that used to make you relax doesn't have the same effect. 'Your brain doesn't get the same fix so it asks for more.' Christmas is a time to unwind and relax, but Ms Foster says the time will be even more enjoyable if people take care of themselves and find a way to drink for enjoyment. 'I think the great thing about not drinking to excess is that your self-esteem improves. 'Anxiety reduces and you become more confident and calm socially when you're not relying on alcohol to make you feel better.' There are also a plenitude of physical benefits. 'You don’t put on as much weight, you eat better because you're not looking for the carbs the next day when you're hungover. 'Your relationship with yourself improves when you're not running away from yourself and your life,' says Ms Foster. 'Life is much more fun and interesting when you are confident so you only need a couple of drinks or no drinks. 'It's better when you feel like you don’t need to drink with that intensity.' Life is much more fun and interesting when you are confident so you only need a couple or no drinks . | In Australia it has become acceptable to drink to excess throughout the festive season .
People drink at Christmas functions as a mood enhancer, because of nerves, 'to take the edge off' or because of friendly peer pressure .
Festive season can quickly turn 'festy' with hangovers and poor health .
Drinking to excess, even infrequently, is extremely damaging .
Expert Georgia Foster says people don't need to STOP drinking .
Over-drinkers need to learn how to cut down - not necessarily cut it out .
It is important to keep drinking at an enjoyable and safe level .
The clinical hypnotist suggests creative tips to avoid over-drinking . |
199,558 | 8e546a1064212aca578ec57478a8bfe30e72a304 | (CNN) -- Neuroscience may not be for everyone. But Backyard Brains co-founder Greg Gage hopes to make it a little less intimidating and a lot more accessible. Gage believes that basic neuroscience research is the answer to curing many of the most devastating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Greg Gage and his partner Tim Marzullo hope to make learning about the brain easy and accessible for all ages and income levels. With a simple do-it-yourself approach they started a company that creates affordable kits for learning about the brain. Gage hopes to show students that neuroscience can be fun and, in the process, inspire the next generation of neuroscientists. One of the products they designed, called the SpikerBox, allows users to record and stimulate neurons from things such as insects and display the neural activity on devices like iPhones via custom apps. Gage hopes that with these tools, kids of all ages will be able to learn about how the brain communicates. A short video recently posted by Backyard Brains showing squid skin cells stimulated by an iPod has been a hit on YouTube -- evidence that this visual and interactive approach to neuroscience can appeal to the masses. Through these simple, entry-level devices created from off-the-shelf electronics, Backyard Brains hopes to inspire the next generation of neuroscientists and start the "neuro-revolution." Gage sat down with CNN at TED 2012 in Long Beach, California, to talk about Backyard Brains. CNN: Tell us about why you started Backyard Brains? Gage: The idea was that we wanted to take really expensive and really complicated neuroscience techniques and make it easy enough and affordable enough that you can use it in high school and even down to the fifth-grade level. CNN: Why is teaching neuroscience important? Gage: Because one out of five of us, that's 20% of the entire world, will be diagnosed with a neurological disorder, and when it comes to treating these diseases, we're in the dark ages. The only way to get out of it is through basic neuroscience research. By reaching back into the education process early you can get kids interested in the brain. We want to make kits that get kids interested and working with the brain so they get turned on to that and want to become that in the future. CNN: What do you hope to accomplish with Backyard Brains in the future? Gage: These (SpikerBoxes) are just the beginning of where we want to go. We want to bring the technology that just came out a few years ago in the latest fields like optogenetics and bring that into the high school classroom. In the next 10 to 15 years we want professors to tell us that the number of applicants that come into the lab that have already done experiments or that have already been thinking about this for years is on the rise. We want to start to have the "neuro-revolution" by having new students that are already interested in the brain beginning to understand and solve the diseases that we have today. We just really need to push the science further to help us cure these diseases. Brandon Ancil and Richard Galant contributed to this report. | Backyard Brains uses simple, inexpensive tools to teach kids how the brain works .
20% of the world's population will be diagnosed with a neurological disorder .
Scientists hope to inspire future generations to become interested in neuroscience . |
57,432 | a2beda0fece8b5ec1f5996d685e78b3f6d2a5c03 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 14:22 EST, 14 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:37 EST, 14 November 2012 . President Barack Obama spoke out for the first time since General David Petraeus resigned from his post as CIA director in the wake of the extra martial affair that has resulted in the unravelling scandal, saying that he does not think the country is in danger of a threat from any leaked intelligence. 'I have no evidence at this point from what I’ve seen that classified information was disclosed that would have in any way have had an impact on our national security,' the President said. He went on to focus on Petraeus' legacy before his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell was unveiled, saying that it was a matter for the four-star general and his family. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Breaking his silence: President Obama spoke out for the first time since the election and discussed his plans for tax increases and how that will help the country avoid the 'fiscal cliff' 'By his own assessment, he did not meet the standards that he felt were necessary as the director of CIA with respect to this personal matter that he is now dealing with with his family and with his wife. 'And it’s on that basis that he tendered his resignation, and it’s on that basis that I accepted it. But I want to emphasize that, from my perspective at least, he has provided this country an extraordinary service. 'We are safer because of the work that Dave Petraeus has done. And my main hope right now is — is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career' he said. 'My hope right now is that he and his family are able to move and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career.' One of the tricky areas for the President is whether or not he should have been notified about the then-ongoing investigation before the election. Focusing on the positive: Obama said that he hoped that by the end of the investigation the scandal would just be a side note to the legacy of Petraeus' long career . He said that he did feel it appropriate to 'meddle' in the FBI's process, referring all further logistical questions about the timeline of the investigation. Troublesome twosome: David Petraeus (left) resigned over his affair with Paula Broadwell (right) 'I am withholding judgment with respect to how the entire process surrounding General Petraeus came up. We don’t have all the information yet, but I want to say I have a lot of confidence generally in the FBI,' he said. When asked by NBC's Chuck Todd whether he felt that he- and voters- should have been told earlier than November 8: 'It is also possible that had we been told, you'd be sitting here asking why we were interfering with a criminal investigation.' The White House first learned about the investigation into Petraeus' affair with Paula Broadwell- and the ensuing chain of harassing emails from Broadwell to another four-star general and a possible love rival- on Wednesday November 7, the day after Obama was re-elected. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told unspecified staffers at the White House on Wednesday, telling them that there was a chance that the CIA director may resign. President Obama himself was not actually told anything about the investigation until Thursday. The President spoke with Petraeus that day, but did not immediately accept his resignation. He waited until Friday to allow him to quit, and it was announced publicly that same day. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . | First press conference since re-election, said no major security threat as a result of the leaked classified documents to mistress .
Focused on the good that Petraeus did during his lengthy career .
A 'personal matter that he is now dealing with with his family and wife'
Left timeline questions of when he should have been informed to FBI . |
85,546 | f29f260a6a201af2dbe3eb2c7b0db894a0612033 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 19:47 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:42 EST, 30 May 2013 . Overstretched hospitals had to close their A&E departments to ambulances hundreds of times last year as the crisis in the NHS deepens. Ambulances were turned away and sent to other hospitals no fewer than 357 times in 2012/13 - up almost a quarter on the previous year. The alarming figures, uncovered by Labour, show that on average over the past year, one casualty department had to close its doors every single day. Diversions: Ambulances were turned away and sent to other hospitals no fewer than 357 times in 2012/13 - up almost a quarter on the previous year . Concerns: Extra delays can increase the risk that patients inside could deteriorate before medical help is received . Extra delays can increase the risk that patients inside could deteriorate before medical help is received. The most recent example was on Bank Holiday Monday, when the Royal Liverpool Hospital had to divert patients to Fazakerley Hospital and Whiston Hospital for periods during both the morning and afternoon. Even when it reopened, ambulances had to queue and patients faced long delays. The figures come amid growing concerns over emergency and out-of-hours care. Last week the Daily Mail revealed that 50 beds a week have closed in NHS hospitals since the election - piling extra pressure on A&E departments. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last week blamed GPs for the overcrowding in England’s casualty wards - saying it was too hard to get an appointment to see them, meaning many have no choice but to turn up at A&E. In addition, more than nine in 10 GPs opted out of responsibility for their patients out of hours in 2004 despite taking advantage of a huge pay rise as part of a botched contract. Finger pointing: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last week blamed GPs for the overcrowding in England's casualty wards . Replacement out of hours services proved inadequate in many areas - meaning patients have to go to casualty. Andy Burnham, Labour’s health spokesman, demanded a moratorium on the closure of casualty units across the country in light of the latest alarming figures. ‘A&Es across the country are in crisis and the pressure shows no sign of abating,’ he said. ‘Today we have yet more evidence that the situation has deteriorated significantly on this Government’s watch, with ambulance diverts up by a quarter in the last year. ‘This is a crisis of their own making. Instead of casting round for others to blame, David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt need to accept responsibility and develop an urgent plan to relieve the pressure.’ Labour obtained the figures on A&E ‘diverts’ from the House of Commons Library. These diverts are where a department has to temporarily close because they lack the physical space or staff capacity to deal with any additional patients. In 2011/12 there were 287 such occasions when hospitals reached capacity and were unable to cope with new ambulances. A year later this had risen by 24 per cent to 357. Over recent weeks, hospitals in London have been forced to turn ambulances away. They include Queens, Newham and King George’s hospitals in east London, Whipps Cross and Northwick Park hospitals in north London, and the Princess Royal and Lewisham hospitals in south London. The diversions occurred either when the ambulance was on the journey to hospital or in some cases after they have arrived. This wastes time for patients with emergency conditions before they can receive emergency care. Now Liverpool has been added to the list. Full: Queens Hospital in London is one of several hospitals in the capital to turn ambulances away from its A&E in recent weeks . No go: Northwick Park Hospital, pictured, is another that has had to divert emergency patients to another A&E . John Heyworth, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, the body which represents A&E doctors, said: ‘The emergency department is the point in the system where the pressures of ever increasing demand and finite hospital capacity collide. ‘This leads to crowding in emergency departments and ambulance diversions. This is frustrating for our patients and difficult for clinicians to provide the prompt high quality care our patients expect and deserve. Concerns: Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham, pictured, called on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to suspend all ongoing A&E closure proposals . ‘Urgent action is both required and overdue to provide an emergency care system responsive to our patients’ needs.’ Labour is today holding an ‘emergency A&E summit’ to hear directly from staff about the pressures they face on a day-to-day basis. Mr Burnham called on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to suspend all ongoing A&E closure proposals pending a personal review of the latest evdience. ‘The facts on the ground are changing fast and call into question the wisdom and safety of closing so many A&Es across England,’ he said. ‘If convincing evidence can be produced to show lives can be saved by closing A&Es, Labour will not oppose them. 'But, as the pressure builds, the case is changing and the Health Secretary must err on the side of caution. The onus is on him to produce convincing evidence or drop these plans.’ He added: ‘Labour will present practical proposals to the Health Secretary which could help staff at the front line. ‘David Cameron and his Health Secretary have been caught out looking for scapegoats rather than finding solutions. They must cut the spin and get a grip without delay.’ When a divert is put in place, ambulances are told to take people elsewhere, although life-threatening cases are still accepted at the original hospital. Official Department of Health guidance say they should only happen in exceptional circumstances. ‘Diversion of patients as a result of lack of physical or staff capacity to deal with attendances or admissions should be an action of last resort,’ it says. Last night a government spokesman said: ‘The NHS is currently meeting the 4hr A&E waiting time target. ‘However, we know that over the past few years A&E has been put under increasing pressure because of rising demand. 'That is why this government is looking at how we address the long term problems facing A&E, something the Labour Party failed to do while they were in office.' | The number of ambulance diversions was up almost a quarter last year .
On average one A&E department had to turn an ambulance away each day .
Extra delays increase risk that a patients condition can deteriorate . |
123,424 | 2b895c707d15eb5502fb34ac49e2682d592afbb2 | Andy Murray produced a classic display of hard-nosed and controlled tennis to set up a version of Friends Reunited in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. The 27-year-old Scot defused the power of Australian tyro Nick Kyrgios to come through 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 to clear the path to a fascinating contest against Tomas Berdych, now coached by Murray's long-time friend and chief lieutenant Dani Vallverdu. Murray was like an expert football team playing away from home – soaking up the pressure and coming with a solid, skilfull, tactical game to defy the home crowd and get the right result. Andy Murray celebrates after taking the second set tiebreak en route to victory against Nick Kyrgios . Kyrgios covers himself as Murray bears down on him at the net during a dominant display in Melbourne . Murray looks to the sky and points his fingers upwards after reaching the Australian Open semi-finals . The No 6 seed performs a typical fist pumping celebration after winning a decisive point in the match . The former Wimbledon champion stretches for a return during his 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 defeat of the 19-year-old Australian . British No 1 Murray celebrates a first break of serve as he wins the opening set 6-3 . He will need to show the same kind of composure against world No 7 Berdych, who is already blossoming under the tutelage of Venezuelan Vallverdu, who learned so much from his time with Ivan Lendl helping Murray win grand slams. Berdych earlier defeated Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-0, 7-6, and will be full of confidence after not dropping a set in his five matches here. But then so should Murray, after coming through a much-hyped contest against the 19-year-old Australian whose time looks sure to come. This was an awkward assignment for him against someone with partisan backing from the 15,000 crowd, although the Scot will have felt at home in temperatures somewhat reminiscent of Dunblane. He gave a masterclass in difficult conditions on how to pick apart an opponent, who should have learned plenty from it. Murray has come into a rich vein of form this early in the season at a tournament where he has reached the semi-final or better five times now. 'It was a tricky match and very windy, I tried to start as quickly as possible because I know how dangerous Nick can be and what he is capable of,' said Murray. 'He is a huge hitter and so I tried to keep it out of his strike zone. 'It's understandable that he had great support, to play in front of a packed crowd like this was a privilege.' Murray has a steel-eyed determination about him as Kyrgios passes with his head bowed during a changeover . Kyrgios screams in frustration while Murray hits a backhand return winner down the line . The 27-year-old waves as he enters the Rod Laver Arena, where most of the 15,000 crowd were supporting Kyrgios . Kyrgios bounces his racquet on the court as Murray dominates early proceedings in Melbourne . Murray has a fine record at the Australian Open and will play Rafa Nadal's conqueror Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals . Thew 19-year-old Kyrgios played in front of his home crowd, experiencing some of the same pressure Murray feels at Wimbledon . Australia Fanatics supporters group were out in force to cheer their homegrown player on . Kyrgios protects himself with his racket as Murray fires a passing shot almost through him before apologising (right) Murray will come up against his long time friend Dani Vallverdu, who now coaches Tomas Berdych, in the semi-finals . Murray, who now has a 11-0 record against Australians, knows that a colossal task awaits him now against Berdych. He said: 'It's going to be a tough match, he is a big hitter and so far he has played extremely well this tournament.' The world No 6 had been phlegmatic under pressure, with his serve the bedrock of an excellent performance, winning two thirds of the points on his second delivery. He also teased Kyrgios with a tantalising mixture of angles, slices and pace, so often giving him the kind of ball he did not want to hit. Such was his consistency that the teenager never really got momentum going. Murray took the opener in 32 minutes and might have ended the second sooner than he did, although Kyrgios's booming serve was coming into its own. In the tiebreak Murray hit two exquisite lobs to turn it his way, the second of them clnching the set. Kyrgios again came back at him from 2-4 down in the third, gaining his one break of serve, but Murray's response was exemplary and he skilfully conunter attacked at the end. Now he has a massive test against Berdych, and with Vallverdu suddenly in the opposite corner he will know there is nobody better equipped on how to give inside information on how to beat him. Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears takes her seat for one of the more comfortable afternoons of watching her boyfriend . Sears celebrates wildly as Murray takes control of the match in blustery conditions in Melbourne . In-form Murray has reached the semi-finals having dropped only one set in five matches, despite the challenging conditions . Niall Horran (right) of British pop band One Direction was one of several famous faces in the crowd . Murray towels down in between points as he dictates the tempo against his younger opponent . Kyrgios correctly appeals a line call during the second set but eventually loses the tie break . Murray was afterwards reluctant to get into the subject of facing his former colleague Vallverdu, with whom he split in late November, but it clearly a live issue: 'I don't really want to talk about what Dani's strengths and weaknesses are. I'm happy to talk about Berdych and what his strengths and weaknesses are but I don't want to discuss what Dani does well and doesn't do well,' he said. 'I'm not playing against him. I don't think in loads of sports people talk about other players' coaches and managers and whatnot. 'We'll see how the match plays out and what the tactics are. But I also know what Dani thinks of Berdych's game because he's told me, so it works both ways. I don't know what it will be like, maybe I'll find it weird on the day. My goal isn't to beat Dani, it's to beat Berdych.' The Australian, who played a five setter against Andreas Seppi in the previous round, looked drained towards the end of the match . By contrast, Murray looked fitter than ever after an intense winter training regime . Murray and Kyrgios shake hands at the end of the match, which say control and tactics overcome power . The Australian leaves the court to rapturous applause from home fans despite his defeat . The double Grand Slam winner signs autographs for fans as he leaves the after another impressive performance . | Andy Murray defeated Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne .
The British No 1 was in dominant form despite overwhelming support for the 19-year-old local favourite .
The former Wimbledon champion will now play Rafael Nadal's conqueror Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals . |
195,261 | 88c36125ea19365ae08360f2b4a3f99ccc5e9512 | By . Olly Wright . PUBLISHED: . 10:04 EST, 5 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:45 EST, 5 December 2012 . A buzzard had a remarkable escape after it traveled more than five miles with its head stuck in the bonnet of a delivery van before flying off, seemingly uninjured. The low flying bird of prey collided with Karl Wholley's vehicle as he drove south from Adlington, in Cheshire, to Macclesfield. Mr Wholley first noticed the buzzard was wedged into the grill on the front of his van as arrived on the A523 dual carriageway on the outskirts of the town last Wednesday. Shock: Karl Wholley's drove more than five miles from Adlington to Macclesfield with the buzzard's beak trapped under the bonnet of his delivery van . It was not until he reached his boss John Lawson's vegetable wholesalers in Windmill Street, Macclesfield, that he was able to help the stricken bird. An astonished Mr Wholley said: 'I'm used to transporting vegetables to some of the top hotels and this is the first time I've transported livestock. 'This has to be a one off and I'm sure that nobody else can say they have given a bird of prey a lift on a veg van.' Vegetable wholesaler Mr Lawson, 46, of Sutton, Cheshire, said: 'The poor guy. At one point the buzzard was flapping its wings as he drove. 'He was that scared he did not know what to do and he just wanted to get back to the yard. 'It was a bizarre moment. 'When he arrived one of the other guys lifted the bonnet with a broom handle and it flew off. 'The buzzard did not even touch the floor before it flew off. 'As soon as its head was released its wingspan just frightened you to death. 'It just flew off. It was uninjured.' It is thought the bird was flying low on a hunting mission when it collided with the van and got its beak stuck. Mr Wholley drove from Adlington to Macclesfield with the buzzard wedged under the bonnet of his van . Majestic: A buzzard similar to the one struck by Mr Wholley's van shows off its wingspan in flight (file picture) The greatest numbers of Buzzards, or . Buteo Buteo, are found in Scotland, Wales, the Lake District and South . West England, but they breed in every county of the UK. The . bird of prey, which can have a wingspan of more than four foot, can . be found in a number of habitats, but particularly in woodland, . moorland, and near villages - though they have been spotted in towns and . cities, including Glasgow, according to the RSPB. In some areas they are known as the tourists’ eagle, often being mistaken for this larger bird of prey. | Buzzard traveled from Adlington to Macclesfield, in Cheshire, along a busy dual carriageway .
Shocked staff marveled as the bird of prey flew off after it was freed . |
31,844 | 5aa6694024b5e8dc83f1264b673e8b028634d5e3 | (CNN Student News) -- August 31, 2012 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Tampa, Florida; Gulf of Mexico . London . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program .
Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
192,438 | 852494e011e5122a4259a983b9eb27f14adaa265 | Ever since his death in 1977, the idea that Elvis Presley might still be with us has become a favourite with conspiracy theorists. But it seems that the Elvis superfans might get the last laugh, thanks to a Canadian dentist who believes he can clone the King using DNA sequenced from a tooth. And Dr Michael Zuk doesn't plan to stop at Presley. Dr Zuk also owns a tooth that once belonged to Beatles singer John Lennon and claims that a Lennon clone could be walking the planet as early as 2040. Resurrection: Dr Michael Zuk bought one of John Lennon's teeth at auction and plans to clone the singer . The King is back: Dr Zuk also hopes to bring Elvis Presley back to life using DNA from his teeth . Speaking to cosmetic dentistry comparison site, Teethwise, Dr Zuk revealed the same process used to clone Dolly the Sheep in 1996 could also be used to bring Lennon and Presley back to life. 'Legally, it is not a problem,' he added. 'If . something is illegal in one country its a matter of crossing a border. 'Animal cloning still has some glitches they are working out but they are . already cloning species. Once the glitches are worked out humans will . follow. 'There are people in history that everyone is fixated over…JFK, . Martin Luther King, Marilyn…it will be possible…and because of this, . like the nuclear bomb, it will be happen.' Dr Zuk's mission began two years ago when he bought one of John Lennon's teeth for £19,500 at auction. The tooth had been given to Lennon's housekeeper, Dot Jarlett in the 1960s, before being passed onto her son who later auctioned the memento. 'I saw online that it was for sale and . bought it,' explains Dr Zuk. 'I think collecting celebrity DNA will be insane in the future . as it creates a risk for celebs to have surprise offspring.' He now expects to have a cloned Lennon on his hands by 2040, the year that would have marked his 100th birthday, but, surprisingly, thinks that Lennon 2.0 might not enjoy quite the same level of musical success as the original. '"John" would be cloned from his DNA which creates the body and hardware for the brain,' reveals the dentist. 'What goes on in his brain would be . largely be down to his environment. John’s personality and cultural . tastes were formed from his upbringing in 40s and 50s Liverpool so this . would obviously be different. Even during his lifetime his musical style . changed.' He added: 'The . musical ability in his DNA is undoubted so we would aim to create an . environment for the child where this ability would be nurtured and . allowed to develop.' Pioneering: Scotland's Dolly the Sheep became the world's first cloned mammal when she was born in 1996 . Despite being sanguine about the ethical minefield that would need to be navigated before bringing the pair of singing superstars back to life, Dr Zuk does admit to qualms about how the cloned Presley and Lennon would cope with the media attention that would inevitably ensue. 'it could be a little unfair,' he says, before adding: 'Whilst some elements of the cloning process would be publicised, it is likely the identity of the child would not initially be disclosed publicly.' Until, of course, a spectacular talent for music and a taste for the limelight began to appear... | Dr Michael Zuk bought one of John Lennon's teeth for £19,500 in 2011 .
Says it can be used to extract DNA which could be used to make a clone .
Also owns a tooth that belonged to Elvis Presley and hopes to clone him .
Believes that cloned versions of Lennon and Presley will be born by 2040 . |
193,088 | 85ffb097c0b5b2c463c4c2f4656ed5968c336a53 | A panhandler allegedly threatening people who wouldn't give him money was captured on camera in fist fistfighting two cops and even knocking one to the ground. Officers from the Hawthorne, Calif., police department were called to a Louisiana Fried Chicken restaurant Monday after receiving a report of an aggressive panhandler. A bystander recorded the confrontation between the alleged panhandler, Thomas Christopher Brown, 29, and the two responding police. Scroll down for video . A bystander recorded the confrontation between the alleged panhandler, Thomas Christopher Brown, 29, and the two responding police . Police withdrew their Tasers and ordered him to lie on the ground, and when he refused they were unable to use the electroshock weapon due to his 'bulky clothing' stopping contact . During the 52-second footage Brown shoved the two cops and hit one in the face, knocking him over. According to the police report: 'The officers asked for his complaince but the subject refused.' Police withdrew their Tasers and ordered him to lie on the ground, and when he refused they were unable to use the electroshock weapon due to his 'bulky clothing' stopping contact. 'F--- the police,' can be heard in the audio, presumably being yelled by the man filming the fight. The footage was posted to Photography Is Not a Crime on Tuesday and to LiveLeak, KTLA reports. Upon the arrival of a third officer who as able to effectively use his Taser, Brown was taken into custody. The two officers fighting had head and face injuries with one having a hand injury. Brown's arrest is not in the footage. 'F--- the police,' can be heard in the audio, presumably being yelled by the man filming the fight . He was allegedly held on suspicion of felony obstructing/resisting an officer and assault against a police officer. He is being held on $100,000 bond. Brown was convicted of forcibly resisting an officer in 2009. In October he was convicted for lewd acts upon a child 13 or 15 years old, but reports are unclear as to whether he served time for the conviction. | A bystander recorded the confrontation between the alleged panhandler, Thomas Christopher Brown, 29, and the two responding police .
Brown was reportedly threatening people who wouldn't give him money .
Being held on $100,000 bail . |
173,070 | 6bfbf630ff13b26fc57936836eff99802dc7d438 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:21 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:18 EST, 17 January 2014 . A junior doctor was laughed at by a senior colleague when she suggested a consultant should examine a four-year-old girl who died hours later, an inquest has heard. Freya Wells died after she was administered antibiotics orally to treat a severe infection, the hearing was told. But when junior doctor Hilary Towse repeatedly raised her concerns about the treatment she claims she was made to feel 'ridiculous' and 'laughed' at by a senior doctor. Junior doctor Hilary Towse (right) repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment given to Freya Wells (left) Freya Wells, 4, died at Kingston Hospital in Surrey (pictured) from a severe infection after doctors failed to give her antibiotics by the correct method, a hearing was told . Freya had been vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea for around three days when she was admitted to Kingston hospital in south west London after her condition did not improve following a visit to a GP, the inquest heard. When she arrived at the hospital on November 21st, 2012, she had an infection and was also suffering from breathing difficulties. She was quickly transferred to the paediatric Sunshine Ward. West London Coroner’s Court heard that in A&E, Registrar Rosita Ibrahim prescribed Freya oral antibiotics, but that her junior colleague and nurses did not agree with that course of treatment. Fatal mistake: The inquest heard that other medics felt the antibiotics should have been administered intravenously not orally . Doctor Towse told the inquest that she thought the four-year-old should have been receiving intravenous antibiotics. She said that around 1am the following morning when she saw Dr Ibrahim she again expressed her concerns. Dr Towse said: 'I specifically said that she needed to have a bolus [fluids straight into the blood]. 'I specifically said that she needed to have IV antibiotics, and I specifically said that I thought she needed intensive care.' However, she added: 'She (Dr Ibrahim) seemed to be able at each point to give a reason.' Breaking down in tears, Dr Towse added: 'She thought that what I was saying was ridiculous - I recall that she laughed.' The court heard that the response Dr Towse received led her to believe that perhaps she was 'over-reacting' but also that her senior was 'under-reacting'. Dr Towse continued: 'I felt I was repeatedly raising my concerns about what I thought was going on and she, to me, would acknowledge it and take it on board, but didn’t agree.' When Freya’s condition deteriorated later that night and Dr Towse could not initially reach Dr Ibrahim, she considered contacting a consultant, but was eventually able to get through to the doctor. Dr Towse was asked by Shaheen Raham, . representing Dr Ibrahim, why she had not called for a consultant herself . if she was so worried. She . replied: 'It will always be something I regret for the rest of my life - . it would never normally be the role of the SHO [senior house officer] . to do that. 'But . I had some experience where I had been entirely appropriate to speak to . consultants, but they had not listened to me because I was an SHO.' The . inquest heard that after Freya’s vomit became 'coffee coloured' Dr . Towse took it upon herself to deliver intravenous antibiotics, but was . part-way through the procedure when Dr Ibrahim returned from a crash . call elsewhere in the hospital and inserted the line herself. The inquest heard that Freya died the following morning at 5.45am after suffering from septic shock. Assistant . coroner Dr Sean Cummings told Dr Ibrahim that many clinicians have . given evidence that they asked her about the antibiotics. West London Coroner's Court heard that in A&E, Registrar Rosita Ibrahim prescribed Freya oral antibiotics, but that her junior colleague and nurses did not agree with that course of treatment . 'There seems to have been a great concern that Freya should have been given IV antibiotics,' he said. 'Everybody seems to be clear that you decided that wasn't going to be the case.' Dr Ibrahim, who first saw the girl at 10pm the previous evening, told the court that, despite Freya's high heart and respiratory rates, she followed guidelines which stated that children suffering from severe pneumonia should be given oral antibiotics to reduce their discomfort. But she said it was planned for the next dose of antibiotics - due at 7am - to be given by IV. 'I realise now it should not have been the case,' she said. 'She should have received intravenous antibiotics right after her vomit in A&E.' Dr Ibrahim accepted Mr Baker's assertion that it should have taken 'a matter of minutes' to see that Freya was seriously ill. 'I just simply did not appreciate how unwell Freya was,' she added. Dr Ibrahim insisted that she had 'no recollection' of laughing 'at anything' on that night, and told the inquest that, from her memory, the only staff member who came to her with concern was Dr Towse. 'I have been over that evening so many times in my head and I cannot recollect multiple people coming up to me and telling me how concerned they are,' she said. 'It is my normal practice to listen to nurses. They are very experienced. If they are concerned then I take it on board.' She added: 'Had I known that the nurses were very worried about her I would have just called the consultant straight away.' The inquest was adjourned until 10am tomorrow, when the final evidence is expected to be heard. | Tragic Freya Wells died at Kingston Hospital from a severe infection .
Doctor Hilary Towse repeatedly .
raised her concerns about the treatment .
But she was made to feel .
'ridiculous' and 'laughed' at by a senior doctor . |
160,213 | 5b181c97d21d27a9051881474872d16f53d13932 | (CNN) -- Is it a thing or once again a show of a whole bunch of nothing? Reports are circulating about "Seinfeld" costars Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander after they were spotted outside Tom's Restaurant in New York on Monday. Better known to "Seinfeld" fans as Monks, it's a spot that the popular NBC series helped make famous after shots of its exterior were used in the show. The Huffington Post reported that Twitter user Ali Philippides tweeted a pic of the pair entering the Upper West Side restaurant. She told the publication that the celebs were filming inside, and the tip has sparked speculation about to what they are up to. Reunion? Super Bowl commercial? An episode of Seinfeld's Web series, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee"? Because we are almost positive there is coffee there. According to Gothamist, "Seinfeld" co-creator and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Larry David was also seen exiting the eatery. As Jerry would say, "What. Is. Going. On?" | "Seinfeld" stars spotted at iconic eatery .
A passerby took a picture of the pair .
Reports of filming inside have sparked speculation . |
82,659 | ea5b92284c5e648465b56fb84504b289f4d3c4fe | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A drunk passenger who tried to set the curtains of a Boeing 767 on fire during a trans-Atlantic flight is in custody in Vienna, Austria, the Transportation Security Administration said Thursday. A drunk Delta passenger was placed in custody after he tried to light curtains on fire during a flight. There was no apparent connection to terrorism, officials said. Zoltan Lensky, 25, a Slovakian citizen, was on Delta Flight 40 from Atlanta, Georgia, to Vienna Wednesday night when flight attendants refused his request for more liquor. According to TSA spokesman Christopher White, Lensky slapped a flight attendant on the hand, moved forward in the cabin, pulled out a lighter and tried to ignite the curtains around the flight attendants' rest area. A federal air marshal on the flight arrested Lensky and put him in handcuffs, White said. Lensky was handed over to authorities in Vienna when the flight landed. It is policy for air marshals never to fly alone. According to White, the other air marshal, or marshals, on the Delta flight remained undercover in case Lensky was being used as a diversion. However, "he was nothing but an intoxicated passenger," said White. | A drunk passenger tried to set the curtains of a Boeing 767 on fire .
Zoltan Lensky, 25, a Slovakian citizen, was on Delta flight from Atlanta to Vienna .
He slapped a flight attendant's hand when she refused to provide more booze .
Lensky was handed over to authorities in Vienna when the flight landed . |
80,017 | e2ccd625fe1d425006cf8301b12286acf5205caf | By . Ryan Gorman . A woman had an epic meltdown this week on a Tampa, Florida-bound flight. The unidentified woman screamed over and over at the top of her lungs after going up and down the aisles of the plane telling people to pray for her deceased mother. ‘God you’re my savior,’ she repeated as often and quickly as possible, while contorting and shaking in her seat as shocked passengers tried not to draw her attention. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Seeking salvation: The blonde woman in this YouTube video had an epic meltdown as the man in the black hat tried to calm her down . The video, uploaded Wednesday to YouTube, has had well over 100,000 views, and shows the woman going . crazy as the plane lands in Tampa. Perhaps distraught over the recent loss of her mother, the woman is seen at the beginning of the video screaming ‘God you’re my savior’ at the top of her lungs. Shot by Reed Stanley, video shows the man sitting next to the hysterical woman trying to calm her down. His failure to calm her elicits an exasperated shrug of the shoulders. ‘She’s been freaking out for the last 20 minutes,’ Mr Stanley explains over the shouting woman. ‘She started off by telling everyone to pray for her mother who just passed away. ‘She went up and down the aisles telling everyone to pray for her mother,’ Mr Stanley further explains as the woman’s tirade shows no signs of slowing down. ‘ . Get me out of here: The woman in the aisle seat can't get off the plane fast enough . The woman appears to be both looking at her powered on smartphone and reading a magazine while repeatedly screaming ‘God you’re my savior’ in non-stop repetition. The man sitting next to her continues to try to calm her down as passengers shown behind her are tiring of the routine. ‘I don’t know if this guy next to her knows her or not,’ Mr Stanley further narrates over the unending barrage of proclamation, ‘but he’s been trying to calm her down the whole time.’ The plane then appears to touch down on the airport runway, as it visibly shakes before lights and other vehicles are then seen outside the window behind the distraught woman. The man’s efforts to calm the woman finally incense her, as she points and yells ‘don’t f**king touch me’ at him before repeating her mantra and apologizing to God for cursing. She then goes right back into repeating ‘God you’re my savior and fast and loud as she can. Clearly distraught: The crazed woman asked passengers to pray for her recently deceased mother before launching into her repetitious rant . Right as she appears to run out of steam, finally quieting down, Mr Stanley explains the flight attendant asked him to make sure the woman doesn’t make a run for the plane’s door. ‘If she tries to go back, we’re going to block her,’ Mr Stanley said as the woman’s meltdown caught a second wind. Though not as loud and fast as before, the mantra is repeated over and over. It is not clear what the woman’s ultimate fate was, she has not been publicly identified. Then, like a voice from the heavens, an automated message advised passengers to ‘remain in their seats’ until the aircraft arrived at its gate. Salvation had finally come for the passengers, the end of their hellish flight. | The unidentified woman had recently lost a parent .
She screamed 'God you're my savior' over and over as the plane made it's final descent .
Worried she would make a run for the door, flight attendants instructed passengers to stop her if she tried to leave her seat . |
179,591 | 748a448ce881ced37626966793f78335247be17e | (CNN) -- The first of four debates -- three presidential and one vice presidential -- in the final month of the election takes place October 3 in Denver. While we would love to tell you what will happen, the CNN Crystal Ball is out of order. Instead, our best guess of what to expect comes from debates past. Here's a look back, by the numbers, of the trends and surprises of past debates. 61: Percent of households that watched the third debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon on October 13, 1960. 12: Times Jim Lehrer from PBS has served as the moderator, including 2012. 4: Debates with more than two debaters. When Ross Perot ran as a third-party Independent candidate in 1992, he and running mate James Stockdale participated in the debates with Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, and Al Gore and Dan Quayle. 3: Election cycles in between the first series of televised debates in 1960 to the next series, in 1976. 59: Percent of likely voters who said in an ORC/CNN poll that they thought President Barack Obama would do a better job in the upcoming debates. 34: Percent of likely voters who answered that Mitt Romney would do a better job. 7: Debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. Though Lincoln and Douglas were vying for the U.S. Senate when they held their series of debates in Illinois in 1858, the issues they addressed -- including slavery -- were central to the presidential election two years later, in which both ran and which Lincoln won. 0: Percent difference in likely voters' answers in the same poll in 2008, when the candidates were Obama and John McCain. 1: Times a candidate has been told he was "no Jack Kennedy," as Lloyd Bentsen said to Dan Quayle during the vice presidential debate in 1988. 4: Number of times a televised presidential debate has been hosted in St. Louis, Missouri -- the most of any city. 12: Number of times Al Gore audibly sighed during the first debate with George W. Bush, on October 3, 2000. 1: Times President George H. W. Bush visibly checked his watch during the October 15, 1992, debate against Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. 8: Number of female moderators since 1960, including CNN's Candy Crowley this year, on October 16. 2: Number of female debaters since 1960, vice presidential candidates Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008. 2: Elections where the outcome appeared to be affected by the televised debates: 1960 and 2000, according analysis by Gallup. | 2: Elections in which the TV debates appeared to affect the outcome .
12: times Jim Lehrer from PBS has served as the moderator including 2012 .
3: Election cycles between the first series of televised presidential debates and the second . |
283,290 | faf5c3e6cae51db3c9894eec1c7cc9a36ecd4346 | (CNN) -- Within just a few days, Ray Fearing went from the height of ecstasy -- he had just gotten a much-needed kidney transplant -- to the depths of depression, after finding out his transplant would need to be removed. "I had been waiting for 10 years to finally have a normal life," said Fearing, a 27-year-old from Arlington Heights, Illinois. "When it didn't work out, for a few days I just curled inward and started losing all hope. It was not an easy time." What is notable about Fearing's case is not that he eventually got over his depression, or that he had an organ removed after transplantation -- those things happen. What is remarkable is the simple, altruistic gesture he made just before his doctors removed his kidney that led to what scientists are describing as a medical first. Fearing donated his transplanted kidney to another patient, and the organ that had been failing inside Fearing's body thrived in the new recipient. "When we removed that dysfunctioning kidney from Ray's environment, it recovered rapidly after being transplanted in a second recipient," said Dr. Lorenzo Gallon, Fearing's doctor and medical director of the kidney transplant program Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "It is the first time that has happened." "It's amazing stuff, it really is," said Dr. Lynda Szczech, a nephrologist and president of the National Kidney Foundation. "I don't know if this is something we're going to get into with great regularity, but the fact that these providers were able to think outside the box to save such a precious resource is frankly amazing." Fearing's kidney transplant was in June 2011, using an organ donated by his sister, Cera Fearing. He had been struggling for years with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a disease that causes scar tissue to develop in the part of the kidney that filters harmful substances. A few days after his operation, doctors took a biopsy of the new kidney and found it was quickly becoming damaged by the FSGS. The cascade of problems following the operation was swift. Fearing said that soon after his operation, "My abdomen was full of blood and very sore and [Dr. Gallon] told me he had to remove the kidney immediately." Gallon said the situation, having to remove an organ to which so many hopes were now attached, haunted him. But when he realized the organ could still be viable in another patient, he decided to broach the idea with Fearing. "I said the kidney is yours, we can do whatever you want," said Gallon, who consulted with his hospital's ethics board before approaching Fearing. "But if we take it out, we will discard it. Are you willing to allow us to see if this kidney might work for someone else?" Fearing did not hesitate. "There are thousands of people waiting for organs, I couldn't see myself just discarding one," said Fearing. The window of time in which to remove an organ that has been transplanted is narrow, said Dr. Matthew Cooper, director of the kidney transplant program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Once a kidney is put into place, like any other transplant, it develops scar tissue around it. "After a period of time, technically it is very difficult to remove it," said Cooper. "It is equally difficult to think about transferring it to someone else." Cooper said he just had scenario similar to Fearing's: A mother donated a kidney to her daughter, who suffers with FSGS. Ultimately, the kidney had to be removed. "Hearing about this case, I'm thinking 'Wow, what a cool idea,'" said Cooper. "I don't know why we didn't think of it." Of course, the procedure undertaken at Northwestern is not standard; an organ with even marginal functionality would usually stay in the patient. "In this case we're not talking about a lack of perfect function," said Gallon. "We're talking about a kidney making Ray sicker than it would have been to keep the kidney in." But that kidney would ultimately make another patient, 67-year-old Erwin Gomez, better. Gomez's kidneys were irreversibly damaged, he said, after 20 years of struggling with hypertension. Once he received the new kidney, whatever damage that had occurred while it was implanted in Fearing was reversed. "The disease, if captured early enough, is reversible when you remove the organ from the original recipient," said Gallon. "But another part of the story is that when a patient's kidney failed, he had the strength to say 'Let's help someone else.' That gesture has more weight than words." The reality Fearing faces now is a long, difficult wait for another organ.For Gomez, receiving Fearing's organ means he could go back to work as a cardiovascular surgeon, and he has more time with his grandchildren. "I feel bad for him because his misfortune is my gain," said Gomez, who on Wednesday met Fearing and his sister, Cera. "I'm completely grateful to them for considering re-transplanting that kidney ... I owe them eternal gratitude." Fearing said that when he thinks about other people (91,836 and counting) waiting for a kidney transplant possibly benefitting from what he went through, it stems the tide of sadness he sometimes feels about his situation. "It was hell when I went through it," said Fearing. "It is better that my situation helps people than having it take over my life." | Transplant recipient Ray Fearing donates his failing transplanted kidney to another patient .
For the first time a failing transplanted kidney has thrived in a new recipient, says doctor .
It allows the new recipient to resume his work as a cardiovascular surgeon .
"It's amazing stuff, it really is," says president of the National Kidney Foundation . |
29,989 | 553764a2289453739758a0d3b4135937b86d3803 | Hundreds of thousands of patients are languishing for more than 24 hours in A&E before being seen, according to figures by the care watchdog. The most seriously ill are lying on trolleys waiting for a bed on a ward while others are forced to wait just to be assessed and sent home. A survey of almost 40,000 patients by the Care Quality Commission found that a third spent at least four hours in A&E – the Government's target. If the Care Quality Commission's findings are representative of the 22 million patient visits in a year, as many as 650,000 people will wait at least 24 hours in A&E (file picture) Of that third, 6 per cent were there for at least 12 hours and 3 per cent for 24 hours or more. If the CQC's findings are representative of the 22 million patient visits to casualty in a year, as many as 650,000 will wait at least 24 hours. The watchdog's findings come as emergency wards across England are facing unprecedented pressures, with many urging the public to stay away unless they are very seriously ill. Several hospitals are on black alert in which operations are cancelled to free-up beds and ambulances are diverted elsewhere. Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said: 'These figures will alarm people about what lies ahead in the coming months. 'A&Es were telling patients to stay away before winter even started. Under this government, over a million patients every year wait too long to be seen in England's A&Es. Hospitals have missed the waiting time target for 71 weeks in a row as more and more patients wait hours on end. 'This should have been ringing alarm bells in the Department of Health months ago, but the truth is ministers failed to listen and act on concerns.' The figures also show that 13 per cent of patients waited at least half an hour for pain relief after asking a nurse for help. Of that, 8 per cent were given no help at all. Some 11 per cent of patients who arrived by an ambulance had to wait outside for at least 30 minutes because the casualty department was too busy. This included 5 per cent who were stuck in the vehicle for an hour – and 2 per cent for two or more hours. The CQC has also named and shamed the ten worst A&E units based on the responses of patients. They include Medway, in Kent, where a damning report by the watchdog last week revealed how patients were spending 35 hours on trolleys. The survey is undertaken every two years and the results are broadly similar to 2012, although some questions differed slightly. Some 80 per cent rated their overall experience in A&E a score of 7 out of 10 or higher, a rise from 76 per cent two years ago. And 77 per cent said doctors and nurses listened to them, while 72 per cent said staff had enough time for them. Professor Sir Mike Richards, chief inspector of hospitals at the CQC, said the overall results of the survey were 'encouraging'. 'However, we do see significant variations between trusts,' he said. 'This highlights the need for all trusts to review their own results and to take action where necessary.' Each of the 142 A&E units was rated based on patients' responses and the CQC compiled a league table. The bottom ten included Tameside in Greater Manchester, Medway in Gillingham, Kent, and Barking, Havering and Redbridge in East London. At the other end of the scale were Dorset County, the Royal Surrey and Salford Royal in Greater Manchester. Each of the 142 A&E units was rated based on patients' responses. The bottom ten included Tameside on Greater Manchester (pictured) Patient numbers in A&E have risen by 50 per cent in a decade partly due to an aging population and a lack of GP availability. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt revealed last week how he had taken one of his children to casualty because he did not want to wait to see a family doctor. Joyce Robins, of Patient Concern, said: 'Its horrendous. The problem is that people cannot see their GP, and this is just rebounding up the system. But it's an untenable situation and there just doesn't seem to be a solution.' Dr Katherine Rake of Healthwatch England, which campaigns for patient rights, said there is 'clearly room for improvement'. NHS employees file more than 33 complaints about staffing shortages every day, figures reveal. There were 4,000 gripes in the past six months – plus 1,343 about shifts being filled by underqualified staff and 196 about employees being overworked, according to Freedom of Information requests by 5 News. | Care Quality Commission (CQC) surveyed almost 40,000 patients .
A third questioned said they spent at least four hours in A&E .
Six per cent were there for 12 hours and three per cent for 24 hours .
Each of the 142 A&E units was rated based on patients' responses .
The bottom ten included Tameside in Greater Manchester and Medway in Kent . |
182,956 | 78f1ce811155b519e07cc6f2c4ed44bba2f8f998 | Ireland kept alive their Six Nations championship hopes with a narrow 21-18 win over Scotland at Murrayfield Sunday. It leaves them with two wins against one defeat but they owed victory to veteran fly-half Ronan O'Gara, who scored 11 points with a try and three conversions. Recalled to the starting XV to claim his 106th cap, the 33-year-old Munster star inspired the Irish, who also scored first half tries through Jamie Heaslip and Eoin Reddan. Scotland kept in the game thanks to the boot of Chris Paterson, who kicked five penalties and a Dan Parks drop goal, but they have now suffered three defeats and are battling Italy for the wooden spoon. On Saturday, England beat France 17-8 to stay on course for the grand slam with three straight wins and six points, while Wales edged Italy 24-16 in Rome. The win seed Ireland join France and Wales on four points, while Scotland are now staring down the barrel of a likely wooden spoon showdown with Italy having lost three in a row. First half tries from Heaslip and Reddan, both converted by O'Gara, always kept their noses in front, despite Paterson's usual metronomic kicking. When O'Gara went over under the posts for his try, which he converted, the visitors led 21-9, but two more penalties from Paterson after the drop goal from Parks set up a nervy finish as Andy Robinson's men scented a late comeback. But the Irish withstood a late onslaught and O'Gara was delighted. "It was very tight, but that has been our tournament so far with just one score difference in all three matches," he told AFP. Ireland next face Wales in Cardiff in two weeks time before entertaining England in Dublin in a match which could decide the championship and the grand slam. | Ireland beat Scotland 21-18 in the Six Nations rugby union at Murrayfield .
Recalled Ronan O'Gara scores 11 points including second half try .
Scotland suffer third straight defeat in battle to avoid wooden spoon .
England lead championship after beating France at Twickenham . |
216,366 | a41b6984698d7997bf56640fbadb1f3aeefab3e8 | The director of the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system and two others have been placed on administrative leave amid claims of a secret waiting list and claims that 40-plus veterans died waiting for care. These allegations have been exposed in a series of exclusive reports by the CNN Investigations unit. The announcement Thursday by U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki came a day after officials at the Phoenix VA denied in interviews with CNN the existence of such a list, only to be called liars hours later by the top VA physician who first appeared on CNN and brought the allegations to light. "We believe it is important to allow an independent, objective review to proceed," Shinseki said in a written statement. "... These allegations, if true, are absolutely unacceptable and if the Inspector General's investigation substantiates these claims, swift and appropriate action will be taken." Those placed on leave, according to the statement, are Phoenix VA Director Sharon Helman, Associate Director Lance Robinson and a third employee, who was not identified by name. Retired VA doctor: There's a secret wait list in Phoenix . Shinseki's office denied repeated requests by CNN over six months to interview the secretary about the allegations. Sources told CNN the managers at the VA concocted an elaborate scheme to cover up long wait times there. The sources said more than 1,400 veterans were placed on the purported secret list and that documents were shredded to hide the evidence. According to sources, at least 40 U.S veterans died waiting for care at the facility, many of whom were on the list. These issues raised in CNN's exclusive investigation have quickly drawn attention in Washington. On Monday, President Barack Obama said he called on Shineski to investigate what has happened in Phoenix. In recent days, numerous members of Congress have called for hearings on the Phoenix VA, and at least three members of Congress have publicly called for Helman's resignation. Tears, angry accusations mark hearing on delayed VA care . But in an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Helman and her chief of staff, Dr. Darren Deering, denied any secret effort to cover up or hide wait times. "We have never instructed our staff to create a secret list, to maintain a secret list, to shred a secret list -- that has never come from our office as far as instruction to our staff," said Deering. "It's never come from me," added Helman. Dr. Sam Foote, a 24-year VA physician and clinic director, recently retired and went public with the details of the list, went on the air publicly for the first time with CNN one week ago. He denounced Helman's claim. "They started this secret list in February of 2013," Foote said. "At some time, they changed over from paper to electronic, in early summer, maybe approximately June or July. And transferred names over to the electronic waiting list. And she [Helman] was called on an ethics consult evaluation about that -- it's written down, documented in July." That documentation includes e-mails from July 2013, which were reported by CNN, that show top management, including Helman, were well-aware about the actual wait times, knew about the off-the-books list and even defended its use to her staff. When directly asked earlier this week about whether evidence of wait times was shredded and whether the secret list existed, Deering stated: . "I think there is some confusion amongst our staff. When we came on as a leadership team in 2012, the practice at that time was that they would schedule new veterans who would were coming in for care way out into the future. Sometimes a year, sometimes 14 months. And that was the appointment that that veteran was given. "As we started to tackle our challenges of access, we implemented a tool that the VA uses nationally called the electronic wait list. And what that tool is it's an electronic waiting list that allows us to everyday look to see who is waiting for an appointment. "So what we did is we took those patients that were scheduled way out into the future, and we put them on this national tool that the VA uses so that we could track them. What that did is, rather than having an appointment 14 months out into the future, it put them on this EWL electronic waiting list, so that when we had an appointment that came open, so if a veteran called next week and canceled their appointment, we could pull a veteran off this list and get them into that slot. "So it actually improved the probability of these veterans getting an appointment sooner. And in that transition time, I think there was some confusion among staff, I think there were some folks who did not understand that, and I think that's where these allegations are coming from." January: Veterans dying because of health care delays . January: Congress demands answers . November: A dire situation in South Carolina . | U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki calls for a review .
Shinseki announced that the Phoenix VA director has been placed on leave .
CNN has been investigating allegations of a secret wait list at Phoenix VA .
In CNN interview, Director Sharon Helman denied existence of such a list . |
60,499 | abf44cb72d92f4747da5e6e5b3610cb86b7ac253 | San Jose, California (CNN) -- Ping-pong is a game most Americans play in their basements. But competitive table tennis is a different story. In fact, it's an Olympic sport, and the United States has a bright, new star representing Team USA in London: 16-year-old Ariel Hsing. Ariel's parents, Michael Hsing and Xin Jaing, immigrants to the United States, play table tennis. When her mother couldn't find a baby sitter, she brought a then 7-year-old Ariel along with her when playing at table tennis clubs. It was there that Ariel discovered her love for the sport and her talent. "I love table tennis, and I love playing. I love to practice so I just kept practicing and there were tournaments along the way, but it just kind of happened gradually," said Ariel. iReport: Get involved with the Olympic Games . "I never thought for one minute: 'OK, I am just going to dedicate my life to table tennis.' I really love it, and I'm really passionate about it so I just keep wanting to do it." While other elite athletes focus solely on their sport and winning Olympic gold, Ariel is a junior at Valley Christian High School in San Jose with college on the horizon. She aspires to attend Stanford University. Ariel understands that table tennis is not as popular other Olympic sports and doesn't bring in the same kind of endorsements and money. She must split her focus between athletics and academics. To achieve success on the table and in the classroom, Ariel has a regimented schedule. "I wake up at around 7 a.m. I'll go practice serves for half an hour, and then I'll start getting ready for school. My dad will drive me to school. After my classes, he'll pick me up with lunch and he'll drive me to a nearby club. "And after I eat my lunch I'll usually take a nap in the car. And once I get there, at the club, I'll train for two to three hours and he'll drive me to another club and there I'll play another two hours, then I'll come home, eat dinner, do homework, and I'll finally get to sleep," Ariel said. Saudi Arabia names two women to Olympics team . All of the practice is necessary as Ariel notes her sport goes well beyond a friendly game of ping-pong. "I think ping-pong is the kind of game that everyone loves to play. A lot of people have their table in their basement at home, and they just play around for fun but competitive table tennis is really different. "It's not just about your arm, but you have to move your legs so much, it can be really tiring and when you're actually playing a match, it's just like a chess game. You have to beat the opponent mentally while they're trying to change their strategies," she said. Ariel's made several sacrifices to get her to her first Olympic Games, such as adjusting her diet. "I've had to give up a lot of food for table tennis. I really love to eat, and I love to eat anything unhealthy, anything that will give you a heart attack, those are my foods, so I've had to give up a lot of those in order to maintain a good athletic shape." With her intense schedule, Ariel has also sacrificed time hanging out with friends, but she's also gained a notable new friend: Warren Buffett. She met Buffett when she was 9 on Buffett's 75th birthday. Buffett received a table tennis lesson as a gift, and the local coach thought it be fun to bring a young phenom along to assist in the lesson. Ariel made such an impression on Buffett that he remains one of her biggest fans. Buffett offers her advice, encouragement and is a constant cheerleader, even watching her matches online from his office. "Uncle Warren has just been so supportive of me. When I was playing the finals of the Olympic trials, he was there in his office, cheering for me, and everyone in his office didn't know what was going on. So that was really funny," Ariel said. She is appreciative of this special bond with Buffett, and it's clear the influence he's had on her. She hopes to major in business in college. But she says the best advice he's given her wasn't something he said but rather something she learned by example. "He's just been so humble and just so down to earth, and I think that's really admirable, and I really want to be like that." As she excitedly heads off to London, Ariel remains grounded in what her role is. She takes representing her country very seriously, but she also knows she bears a responsibility as a role model. "I would just tell people to always fight for their dreams and just try really, really hard to go for it. Because when I was 8 years old, I had a dream of making the Olympics one day. I wrote this down on a little piece of paper, and I rolled it up and I put it in this little box. ... I convinced myself if I opened that piece of paper, my wish would not come true. So it's just been sitting in my room, and it's been a constant reminder of my dream and a constant reminder of what I was working for." | Ariel Hsing, 16, is representing Team USA in table tennis .
Hsing met Warren Buffett as a child; he has played with her many times .
Her advice: "I would just tell people to always fight for their dreams" |
109,355 | 18f43dca641cf4f7e3bdd8fea5425fbfe666f100 | By . Daniel Martin for the Daily Mail . Thousands of commuters will see rail fares double today. Changes imposed by the Government on the main rail company in the north of England mean some people will be paying 162 per cent more than they did on Friday. Commuters in Chancellor George Osborne’s constituency of Tatton in Cheshire will be among the hardest hit, along with travellers in Nick Clegg’s Sheffield Hallam seat. Scroll down for video . The Chancellor George Osborne (above) said fare increases would be capped at 2.5 per cent but this will be of little comfort to Northern Rail customers facing ‘stealth’ rises . Mr Osborne chose yesterday to announce that countrywide fare rises planned in January will be limited to 2.5 per cent – not 3.5 per cent as previously thought. But the cap will be of little comfort to Northern Rail customers facing ‘stealth’ rises from today. The increases come as the Government forces Northern Rail to introduce evening peak ticket restrictions on local services. This is to plug the gap caused by the cost to the taxpayer of the West Coast franchise saga in 2012. From today, off-peak tickets will no longer be valid on some trains between 4.01pm and 6.29pm on weekdays, which means sharp increases in some fares. A day return from Styal in Tatton, Mr Osborne’s constituency, to Manchester is £7.90 instead of £5.20, an increase of 52 per cent. And a day return from Dore and Totley in Sheffield Hallam, Nick Clegg’s seat, to Sheffield will be £3.30, up 43 per cent from £2.30. From today, off-peak tickets will no longer be valid on some trains between 4.01pm and 6.29pm on weekdays, which means sharp increases in some fares . Someone travelling from Rochdale to Wigan will pay £11 for a day return, an increase of 162 per cent. A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: ‘These changes will help us achieve our long-term plan of building a rail network that is better for the passenger and better value for the taxpayer. ‘Such restrictions are relatively common on other parts of the network, including in the Merseytravel area, and we expect only a minority of passengers to be affected.’ Labour’s transport spokesman Mary Creagh said: ‘This is a direct result of the Government’s West Coast franchise fiasco and commuters travelling to Leeds, Manchester, Bradford, Sheffield and Newcastle are paying the price. Many Northern Rail passengers will see their fares jump 162 per cent this weekend . ‘People shouldn’t have to choose between paying more or waiting until after dark to travel.’ She called for a strict cap on fare rises and reform of the railways. The botched franchising of the West Coast line cost taxpayers more than £50million and meant the Government had to negotiate extensions to existing franchises, including Northern Rail. Yesterday, Mr Osborne announced the annual New Year fare rise will be 2.5 per cent, not 3.5 per cent. This year’s July RPI inflation figure meant that regulated fares would have risen by an average of 3.5 per cent in January 2015. Mr Osborne is also scrapping the ‘flex’ system where companies could raise some fares by up to two percentage points. He said more than 250,000 season ticket holders will save £75 across 2014 and 2015. But Mick Cash, acting general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: ‘The announcement from George Osborne does not stack up to a freeze for millions of people whose incomes are stagnant due to austerity.’ | Government changes mean Northern rail customers face huge price hikes .
'Stealth' rises come day after George Osborne announces a new lower limit on countrywide fare increases of 2.5% .
Price rises are designed to plug gap caused by cost to taxpayer of West Coast franchise saga in 2012 .
Critics have slammed fare increase with Labour calling it 'government fiasco' |
194,186 | 875d0a8c7783106f9edce7e7b151c51ebe96bb3b | A shooting rampage by a Fort Hood soldier has left four people dead and one wounded in the nearby town of Killeen. Police believe Atase Griffa shot dead his neighbors after his wife Dawn, 28, fled to their house on Sunday. He then dragged Dawn back to his own home and killed her and himself, authorities say. Giffa, who had a recent history of domestic quarrels with his wife Dawn, 28, went to a neighbor's home, opened fire, then forced her to return home with him, police spokeswoman Carroll Smith said. 'He shot a couple of people, took her, forced her back to the residence, then shot her and shot himself,' Smith said. Scroll down for video . Horrific: Atase Giffa, (right) who had a recent history of domestic quarrels with his wife Dawn, 28, (left) went to a neighbor's home, opened fire, then forced her to return home with him before killing her and himself . Sad: Police suspect that Dawn Giffa, 28, was fatally shot by her husband, Fort Hood soldier Atase Giffa, on Sunday . Police located Lydia Farina, 31, and Larry Guzman, 40, slain at Farina's home. A third victim, a 41-year-old woman, in that home was injured and remained in serious condition Tuesday. Her name was not released. Police discovered the bodies of Giffa, 30, and his wife at their own home nearby. Officers recently had been at the Giffa house for a domestic disturbance, according to Smith. She had no immediate details on the prior call. Fort Hood officials issued a statement Tuesday saying Atase Giffa was from Clarkston, Georgia, and enlisted in 2009 as an automated logistics specialist. He and Dawn Giffa, who was from Kingston, Ontario, met while he was stationed at Fort Drum, New York, according to the Watertown, New York, Daily Times. History of disturbances: Officers recently had been at the Giffa house for a domestic disturbance. She had no immediate details on the prior call. Fort Hood officials issued a statement Tuesday saying Atase Giffa was from Clarkston, Georgia, and enlisted in 2009 as an automated logistics specialist. Police responded to a 911 call about a disturbance just before 10.30pm on Sunday night and found Guzman, Farina and the third victim at a home. A witness informed officers the Giffas had been at the house and then went to their home two doors down. The Killeen Police Department said: 'Shortly thereafter shots were heard coming from inside that residence. 'The Tactical Response Unit [TRU] was deployed to the scene and several attempts were made to speak with the male however they received no response. 'The TRU Officers made entry into the house at 12:26am and located the male and female deceased with gunshot wounds.' The Giffas have a son, Keoni, who is three years old, according to CKWS. They met while Atase Giffa was stationed at Fort Drum near Watertown, New York, and moved to Texas about a year ago. Dawn Giffa, whose maiden name is Larson, is originally from Canada. Her father is traveling to identify her body and get his grandson. During the incident in Killeen, Texas (above), Larry Guzman, 40, and Lyida Farina, 31, were also killed . The Giffas have a son, Keoni, who is three years old. He will be going to Canada to live with his grandparents . A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family. A woman who apparently knows the Larson family wrote: 'I just wanted to add that Donnie will be bringing his grandson home to Kingston soon, and Keoni will be very shocked and confused by this big change in his life. 'Anyone who wants to donate items to make his transition easier can drop them off at the Mansion, or our home, and i'll make sure Donny Larson and his daughter Cierra receive them. 'He is only three years old, so toys, children's books, furniture for his new room, a snow suit, winter boots and size three/four boys clothing will help him feel welcome and comfortable.' Fort Hood did not immediately release Atase Giffa's rank and unit, the Killeen Daily Herald reported. A neighbor who asked not to be identified said: . 'We could hear women crying and screaming,' 'It was unreal. Horrible. 'It was something I'll never forget.' Another neighbor described the situation as 'a complete tragedy'. The deadly shooting was the second murder-suicide this year in Killeen. | Police in Killeen, Texas remain unsure why Atase Giffa killed his neighbors Sunday before killing his wife Dawn, 28 .
Two other victims were Lydia Farina, 31, and 40-year-old Larry Guzman while a still unidentified woman remains in critical condition .
The Giffas had a son, three, who will go to Canada to live with grandparents . |
174,978 | 6e7a689aa47164a09a83931c53016334fe9bf1b2 | By . Hayley O'keeffe . PUBLISHED: . 11:12 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:20 EST, 26 December 2013 . An imprisoned Saudi blogger who denounced Islam is facing the death penalty according to his wife. Raif Badawi. who set up the Free Saudi Liberals blog is currently in prison, and according to his wife Ensaf Haidar, he must go before a high court on a charge of apostasy. He would receive the death penalty if convicted by the courts according to Amnesty International. Raif Badawi has been in prison since 2012, and his wife claims that he is facing a death sentence . In July, a criminal court found Badawi guilty of insulting Islam through his website and in television comments. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes, but his lawyer has appealed against the punishment. Badawi set up his website in 2008 and has been in prison since 2012. The year the site was launched he was detained for one day and questioned, with some clerics branding him an unbeliever and apostate. His wife and their children have now left the country and now live in Lebanon. Amnesty International told CNN that Badawi's case shows that Saudi Arabia is not a place where people can debate openly about their beliefs. A spokesman said: 'Is clear case of intimidation against him and others who seek to engage in open debates about the issues that Saudi Arabians face in their daily lives.' | High court trial for father-of-three Raif Badawi according to his wife .
Legal troubles began when his Free Saudi Liberals site launched in 2008 .
His wife and children have left the country and now live in Lebanon . |
283,689 | fb83465f60aac5414eb32427400c0b47dbd9d0cb | [headerlinks] . Alexander Kristoff of Norway, in a solo show of opportunistic racing, won the 12th stage of the Tour de France in a sprint as Vincenzo Nibali kept the yellow jersey for a 10th day on Thursday. After hitching a ride behind the back wheel of Italian sprinter Matteo Trentin, Kristoff powered out of the barreling pack and beat Peter Sagan of Slovakia, who was second, by nearly a bike length, while Arnaud Demare of France was third. The pack overtook a pair of breakaway riders with less than seven kilometers to go. Kristoff, who won the Milan-San Remo race this year, pointed his fingers skyward and shouted as he crossed the line - pretty much without any of his Katusha teammates: Sagan's Cannondale team and Giant-Shimano took turns leading the pack at the end. But Kristoff timed his burst perfectly. Sprint finish: Katusha procycling team rider Alexander Kristoff his win in the 12th stage of the Tour de France . Close call: Kristoff celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the 12th stage in Saint-Etienne . Top of the charts: Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Astana Pro Team kept his grasp of the yellow jersey . VIDEOÂ Kristoff Leave Sagan sulking on Stage 12Â . 'I won, finally, and I am really happy,' Kristoff said of his first Tour stage win, adding he had been second in two previous sprints. 'It was time to win. 'In Norway, there was a lot of pressure on me: I am the only Norwegian this year!' Kristoff paced himself without two big rivals: Giant-Shimano rider Marcel Kittel, who has won three stages, was dropped earlier in the ride along four small- and medium-sized climbs, while German countryman Andre Greipel, who won Stage 6, crashed within the last few kilometers. 'I went at just the right time,' said Kristoff, adding he had no idea the two Germans were out of contention for the stage win. 'I was just thinking about myself.' The mostly flat 185.5-kilometer (115.5-mile) course from Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Etienne in southeastern France was well suited for a possible sprint finish. Hands up: Kristoff crosses the finish line ahead of France's Arnaud Demare to win the twelfth stage . Over the bridge: The pack push through the 185.5km stretch from Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Etienne . The top standings didn't change. Nibali leads Richie Porte of Australia by 2 minutes, 23 seconds, and Alejandro Valverde of Spain was third, 2:47 back. Nibali is looking to become the first Italian to win the Tour since the late Marco Pantani in 1998. American rider Andrew Talansky pulled out before the stage due to severe back pain from previous crashes. The Garmin-Sharp leader who won the Criterium du Dauphine last month rode for several hours with excruciating back pain on Wednesday, when he finished last on the 11th stage. The pack now faces two days in the Alps - which are getting relatively short shrift this year - even if both stages feature uphill finishes that are likely to shake up the top standings. Friday's relatively long Stage 13 will also put riders' legs under the most strain so far. The 197.5-kilometer (123-mile) trek begins in Saint-Etienne and will crescendo: It first covers a mid-sized climb, then the Category 1 Palaquit pass, and finally an 18-kilometer (12-mile) ascent to the Alpine village of Chamrousse - one of cycling's hardest climbs. Nibali, however, said his Astana team will try to manage the race on Friday, before what he sees as a greater challenge a day later. 'It's surely the second stage in the Alps that scares me the most,' he said, 'because on the first one everyone has energy, and it's always the second one that requires more energy - and where you pay for your efforts.' Scenic: The peloton passes through beaujolais vineyards in Cogny, France . Leader: Nibali wearing the yellow jersey, rides with his Kazakhstan's Astana teammates . | Norwegian rider Kristoff held off challenge from Sagan .
No change at top of overall standings as Nibali retains yellow jersey . |
112,183 | 1cb4ed446b32c465f474e9f806e532e289281a23 | Subway says it's in the process of removing a chemical from its bread as part of an ongoing effort to improve its recipes. The announcement comes after a popular food blogger launched a petition this week asking the sandwich chain to stop using the ingredient, called azodicarbonamide. A representative for Subway says the change was underway before the petition was launched, but did not immediately provide details on when it started or when it would be complete. 'The complete conversion to have this product out of the bread will be done soon,' Subway said in a statement, without providing further details. Scroll down for video . That yoga mat looks good enough to eat!: Subway removes 'bleaching' chemical from its bread . Vani Hari, who runs FoodBabe.com, has targeted other food companies including Kraft and Chick-fil-A for the chemicals in their products. In the latest petition targeting Subway, Hari noted that the azodicarbonamide used in its bread 'as a bleaching agent' is also used to make yoga mats and shoe rubber. The petition noted that Subway doesn't use the ingredient in its breads in Europe, Australia or other parts of the world. Although the ingredient is used in other food products, Hari said she focused on Subway because of the healthy image it tries to project. Subway has endorsement deals with Olympic athletes. 'This is not eating fresh!' Hari's petition said. On Tuesday, Subway's Facebook page was filled with comments regarding the chemical. As Americans pay closer attention to what they eat, food companies have worked to market their products as natural. But companies have also come under growing pressure to remove chemicals people find questionable. That pressure has been heightened by consumers' ability to voice and share their concerns online. Last year, for instance, PepsiCo said it would remove an ingredient that had been linked to a flame retardant from its Gatorade drinks. PepsiCo also said its decision was not a response to an online petition that had called for it to remove the ingredient. Subway, which is privately held, says it has more than 41,000 locations worldwide. It is based in Milford, Conn. The chemical in Subway's bread is also in yoga mats and shoe rubber . Write caption here . | Azodicarbonamide, a chemical found in Subway's bread is used to make shoe rubber and yoga mats .
Vani Hari, blogger for FoodBabe.com said the chemical was used as 'a bleaching agent' and that it wasn't natural .
'The complete conversion to have this .
product out of the bread will be done soon,' Subway said in a statement, .
without providing further details .
Subway claimed that they already planned to remove the chemical from the bread . |
260,112 | dccf5a4b67a53ece0565db96f334e27a5ee7f5bc | By . Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 13:24 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:44 EST, 30 October 2013 . Two married councillors have refused calls to stand down - despite moving to a village 150 miles away. Conservatives Alan and Jean Willicombe, from Sittingbourne, Kent, retired to the Lincolnshire village of Gedney Drove End earlier this month. But the pair have sparked outrage by saying they will keep their seats on Swale Borough Council - and commute to meetings at the taxpayer's expense. The former mayor and mayoress, who have each served for more than 10 years, will continue to claim allowances of at least £4,737 each. They will also pocket travel expenses of between £130 and £175 every time they drive to a meeting. This is despite their new phone number not appearing on Swale Borough Council's website. Instead residents are given phone numbers for two colleagues who still live in Sittingbourne. 'Murky, dirty and puerile': How one resident described the decision by councillors Alan and Jean Willicombe, pictured, to keep their seats on Swale Borough Council, Kent, despite starting a new life 150 miles away . 'Disgraceful': The 300-mile round trip the pair must take for every meeting, costing taxpayers up to £175 . Mr Willicombe said it was pointless to force the council to pay for a by-election because the Woodstock ward, which the couple represent, will disappear in 2015 under boundary changes. He added: 'I wasn’t going to stand again in 2015 because my ward was being dismantled and it’s the same for Jean. 'I don’t think there is a point to standing down - I can still work and be in contact with the other councillors. 'Why have the cost of another election? It seems a bit stupid.' But furious resident John Greenhill, 64, said the councillors’ relocation was 'murky, dirty and puerile'. He said: 'They didn’t have the decency to inform their constituents they were going. 'I think it’s a disgraceful situation - how can they honestly say they represent the people of this ward? 'It’s a despicable political tactic so they don’t have to resign for fear of the Tories losing their stranglehold of this borough and can’t be replaced by Labour or UKIP councillors. 'They were hardly seen about the ward when they were here. If they were honourable, they would resign.' The pair are a former mayor and mayoress of Swale and Mr Willicombe previously served as a Kent county councillor. Mr Willicombe said: 'We . put our property up for sale just to see what the market was like and . we sold it in two days, which was far quicker than we ever expected. 'We thought it would take six months to a year - so it pushed us into looking for somewhere far quicker than we wanted to. 'It’s . just the way things panned out. I have got a sister up here and . properties are cheaper - it’s as simple as that, and it will be nice to . retire to.' The home in Gedney Drove End, Lincolnshire, where the pair moved earlier this month. A round trip to council meetings in Sittingbourne, Kent, will cost taxpayers between £130 and £175 depending on what car they drive . Mrs Willicombe was Mayoress of Swale in 2008-09. Her husband said: 'Why have the cost of another election? It seems a bit stupid' The couple can claim 42.9p a mile for travel if they drive a car whose engine is smaller than 1,000cc. But they can claim 58.7p a mile - 13.7p more than the government recommends for private firms - if it is larger than 1,200cc, which accounts for most family cars. Kent county councillor for UKIP Mike Baldock said: 'I know they haven’t been to Tunstall Parish Council since May - there was a big meeting about the school and they were not there. 'If it was my party, I would expect them to stand down. If they were still able to regularly attend meetings and give a good service, that’s OK.' The Conservative group leader on Swale Borough Council, Cllr Andrew . Bowles, said: 'It’s unfortunate, but without knowing the full facts, . it’s difficult to comment. 'It’s difficult to ask people to stand for election somewhere that’s going to disappear. 'The people who are technically represented by Alan and Jean won’t be in future - it’s an unusual situation.' Robert Oxley, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Councillors living on the other side of the country cannot claim to be credible representatives of the local community. 'Claiming travel expenses for a 300-mile round trip is clearly an unreasonable use of taxpayers' money. The pair should stand down rather than attempting to be absentee politicians at greater expense.' If the couple fail to attend meetings for six months they can be automatically disqualified from being a councillor. | Alan and Jean Willicombe left Sittingbourne, Kent, for Lincolnshire village .
Tories will claim £9,474 allowances and up to £175 a trip in travel .
Pair insist it would be a waste of money and 'stupid' to hold by-election .
Resident: 'It's disgraceful. If they were honourable, they would resign' |
218,970 | a76ba1f6be514c5aa4d972ad3a206ba664c11524 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 06:48 EST, 6 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:34 EST, 6 September 2012 . Just days after Paul Ryan was forced into a humiliating U-turn after falsely claiming that he once ran a marathon in under three hours, questions are now being asked about the vice-presidential candidate's claim to be a prolific mountain climber. Mitt Romney's running mate told his hometown newspaper that he had scaled 'close to 40' of Colorado's 54 'fourteeners' mountains, each of which is at least 14,000ft tall. Although Mr Ryan made this claim three years ago, it is now under scrutiny after he admitted on Saturday that he hasn't run a marathon in under three hours, as he had boasted last month on a radio show broadcast across the U.S. Exaggerating? Paul Ryan, pictured on the campaign trail in Adel, Iowa, yesterday, claimed he has scaled 'close to 40' of Colorado's 'fourteeners' range of 54 peaks . Popular with climbers: Colorado's 'fourteeners' mountain range contains 54 peaks which are all at least 14,000ft tall . The conservative Wisconsin congressman was forced to admit that he misstated his time by more than an hour. It turns out he actually took more than four hours to finish the marathon and not under three, as he had said. Now experienced climbers are pouring doubt on Mr Ryan's mountain claims, reports TheAtlantic.com. One expert at climbing website SuperTopo said: 'To have climbed 40 and not be a resident [in Colorado] means that you would have had to devote entire summers to climbing fourteeners, in essence becoming a 'lifestyle' hiker/scrambler. 'I doubt Ryan had the time or dedication to fourteeners to take the required time out from his political career. 'Even if you did four a summer, that would be ten summers devoted to travelling to Colorado for the purpose of high altitude hiking. Even if you live here and can drive to the trail heads, forty is a huge commitment of time and energy.' Athletic: The scepticism comes days after Mr Ryan admitted he actually ran a marathon in over four hours and not in under three, as he claimed last month . The climber added: 'Why does it . matter that Paul Ryan -as seems likely in light of his marathon . fabrication - is not a 'mountain man' and is lying about his fourteener . record? 'Because there is . no better index of character. It tells of someone's desperation to . connect to the voters of a swing state, his ability to make stuff up . without conscience, and ruthless ambition to obtain power through any . means. 'It also indicates his contempt for the citizens of Colorado. He apparently believes that Colorado voters are clueless and that the press is a lapdog that has lost any ability to check facts. 'Dedicated hikers, scramblers, climbers, hunters, fishermen and other aficionados of the Colorado high peaks do not need to exaggerate their visceral connection to the Colorado high country and need not apply to become a faux mountain man, like Paul Ryan.'] . Mr Ryan admitted his actual marathon . time after Runner's World magazine unearthed evidence he had completed a . single marathon in 1990, and finished in just over four hours. That time stands in stark contrast to what he had previously said, when he proudly bragged to radio host Hugh Hewitt that he had run a 'two hour and fifty-something' marathon. That would make for a pace of less . than seven minutes per mile for the 26.2 mile course - a blazing speed . for recreational runners. 'Under . three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something,' Mr Ryan . reportedly told Mr Hewitt, to which the shocked radio-man expressed . reportedly exclaimed, 'Holy smokes.' 'I was fast when I was younger, yeah,' Mitt Romney's running mate quipped in reply. The . Ryan campaign told Runner’s World magazine that the House Budget . Chairman ran one marathon in 1990 when he was 20 years old. That was the . Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. The running magazine reports . he finished in four hours, one minute, and 25 seconds. It turns out Ryan is slower than Sarah Palin, but faster than Al Gore. In the running: Republican vice president nominee with presidential nominee Mitt Romney on the campaign trail . Working the room: Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan shaking hands and high fiving supporters . Mrs Palin reportedly has a best time of 3:59; John Edwards has run 3:30; George W Bush has run 3:44; while Mr Gore trails the vice presidential bunch with a 4:58. A spokesman for the Romney/Ryan campaign contacted TheAtlantic.com to defend the vice-presidential candidate's comments on his experience of climbing in Colorado. Brandon Buck said: 'We're not sure where this started, but he's not said 40 different peaks, it's nearly 40 climbs - with a number of peaks climbed more than once. 'He's been doing them for more than 20 years. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article from 2009 doesn't say 40 separate summits, but instead : . 'He is fairly careful about what he eats, performs an intense cross-training routine known as P90X most mornings, and has made close to 40 climbs of Colorado's fourteeners.' A 'fourteener' is a term unique to mountaineers in the U.S. It refers to a mountain peak that is more than 14,000ft above sea level, of which there are 53 in Colorado, known as the Colorado Fourteeners. The tallest is Mount Elbert, which is part of the Sawatch Range and stands at 14,440ft tall. In 53rd place is Sunshine Peak, which is part of the San Juan Mountains range and is 14,009ft tall. Other popular fourteeners include the 14,110ft tall Pikes Peak, which inspired the poem 'America the Beautiful' and 14,255ft tall Longs Peak, which resides inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Colorado is extremely popular with climbers and attracts tens of thousands of skiiers each winter. | Vice-presidential candidate claims he has scaled 'close to 40' of Colorado's 'fourteeners' range of 54 peaks, each of which is more than 14,000ft tall .
Ryan's spokesman tried to clarify his comments, saying he did not climb 40 separate peaks, but has climbed some more than once .
Ryan has already been forced to admit previous claim that he ran marathon in under three hours was exaggerated by more than an hour . |
281,912 | f9300c37146fda73ca68bb4f7389380288ce4ca1 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan is expected to ask the Obama administration for additional troops and equipment, according to a senior U.S. military official familiar with Gen. Stanley McChrystal's thinking. Gen. Stanley McChrystal's report on the war's status will be delivered in August, the source says. The request will be for troops and equipment for conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as more assets to deal with roadside bombs and explosives, said the official, who declined to be identified because McChrystal's request has not been formally transmitted to the Pentagon. The request could be made in coming weeks after McChrystal completes a "troop-to-task review" to calculate whether there are enough U.S. troops in Afghanistan -- and the right mix of troops -- to carry out the military's war plan at an acceptable level of risk, the official said. The review could also lead to a request for additional troops for either combat or training of Afghan forces, but the official emphasized McChrystal has not made a decision on that. The military already has tasked an additional 4,000 troops to train Afghan forces. The official said McChrystal is likely to submit his recommendations to Defense Secretary Robert Gates as a series of options, with each option having a level of risk attached to it. "This will start the discussion" within the highest levels of the administration about whether to send a significant number of additional troops, the official said. Gates has signaled he would be open to sending more troops if it could be demonstrated they are needed. But he also has expressed caution that the United States not send so many troops that it has too heavy a footprint in the country. The troop-to-task review will follow McChrystal's assessment of the war, due 60 days after he took command in mid-June. That report is expected to be sent to Gates and NATO's secretary general by August 14, the official said. It will discuss a detailed strategy for success of the counterinsurgency mission, such as the need for U.S. and Afghan forces to conduct more integrated operations and the need to focus on population centers. It is also expected to call for an increase in the number of Afghan security forces. "This will be a really frank and honest discussion of how things are, and what it takes to get the job done," the official said. | Gen. Stanley McChrystal also will ask for equipment, source says .
Request will involve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, source says .
More assets to deal with roadside bombs, explosives sought, source says . |
174,893 | 6e5bbc906f6744feb9f3d484978a8bdab208e41d | An Arizona wife accused of trying to kill her husband by injecting fecal matter into his intravenous line was sentenced Tuesday to a year in jail after being convicted of abuse. Rose Mary Vogel, 66, of Sun Lakes, pleaded guilty nearly two months ago to a charge of vulnerable adult abuse in the January 30 incident at Chandler Regional Hospital. The retired nurse - who has a masters and a bachelors degree in nursing - had faced up to 10 years in prison. Her plea agreement called for an attempted murder charge to be dropped. Caught red-handed: Rose Mary Vogel, 66, was sentenced to four years of probation and one year of weekends in jail after she was found tampering with her husband's IV line at an Arizona hospital in January . Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Gottsfield said Vogel could serve the jail time on weekends, the Arizona Republic reported. He also sentenced her to four years of probation. Authorities say two nurses saw Vogel tampering with her husband's IV line while he was in the hospital for a heart stent procedure earlier this year. The nurses were responding to a pump alarm that went off, and arrived to find Vogel touching the pump line. One nurse noticed a brown liquid in the saline solution that smelled. The nurse capped the line and went to find help, only to return to see Vogel trying to dump the solution in a trash can, according to AZ Central. A lab test later determined substance found in the line was fecal matter. Police also say they found three syringes in Vogel's purse, and one had a brown substance on a protective cap. Her husband survived the contamination after becoming ill. Vogel said during the sentencing hearing that she was sleep-deprived and depressed when she contaminated the line and had no recollection of it. 'I've always loved my husband through sickness and in health,' she said. Her husband, Phillip Vogel, said he has forgiven his wife. On trial: Prosecutors claimed Vogel was not trying to kill her husband but further debilitate him . The two suggested their relationship is on the mend. 'It's so devastating on our family,' he said. 'Rose Mary is no danger to me.' Defense lawyer Lawrence Kazan has said in court records that his client had what appeared to be a fairly happy 35-year marriage. But he said there were unspecified problems that caused her to snap and try to harm her husband. Vogel is a retired registered nurse who has surrendered her nursing license to medical regulators. Kazan noted she had no prior criminal history. | Rose Mary Vogel, 66, of Sun Lakes, Arizona, was found tampering with her husband's intravenous line in January .
Nurses noticed a brown liquid in the saline solution and said Vogel tried to dump the solution in a trash can after she was caught .
The retired nurse had three syringes in her purse, one with brown matter .
She accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to vulnerable adult abuse .
Says she has no recollection o the incident and was depressed at the time . |
18,133 | 335945481a808730d50793807a66c624387cc0d2 | (CNN) -- Rights group Amnesty International has condemned a reported Saudi court ruling sentencing a man to be paralyzed as retribution for having paralyzed another man as "outrageous." In a statement issued Tuesday, the rights group called the punishment "torture," adding that it "should on no account be carried out." Local media reports about the case surfaced over the weekend. The Saudi Gazette, an English language daily paper, reported that Ali Al-Khawahir was 14 when he stabbed and paralyzed his best friend 10 years ago. Al-Khawahir, who has been in prison ever since, has been sentenced to be paralyzed if he cannot come up with one million Saudi Riyals ($266,000) in compensation to be paid to the victim, the newspaper reported. CNN cannot independently verify the reports. "Paralyzing someone as punishment for a crime would be torture," said Ann Harrison, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa deputy director. "That such a punishment might be implemented is utterly shocking, even in a context where flogging is frequently imposed as a punishment for some offenses, as happens in Saudi Arabia." The rights group calls this an example of a "qisas," or retribution, case, adding that "other sentences passed have included eye-gouging, tooth extraction, and death in cases of murder. "In such cases, the victim can demand the punishment be carried out, request financial compensation or grant a conditional or unconditional pardon." Despite repeated attempts, the Saudi Justice Ministry could not be reached for comment on the case. "If implemented, the paralysis sentence would contravene the U.N. Convention against Torture to which Saudi Arabia is a state party and the Principles of Medical Ethics adopted by the UN General Assembly," Amnesty International said. This is not the first time a "paralysis as punishment" sentence has made headlines in Saudi Arabia. In 2010, local media reported the case of a 22-year-old man who was paralyzed in a fight, saying he had subsequently requested paralysis as punishment for the man he'd fought with. After the initial reports, the Saudi Ministry of Justice denied that paralysis had ever been considered as punishment in that case. | A Saudi court has sentenced a man to be paralyzed if he can't pay compensation, media say .
The man stabbed and paralyzed his friend 10 years ago, the Saudi Gazette says .
Amnesty International says the reported sentence would be torture if carried out .
The Saudi Justice Ministry has not responded to requests for comment on the case . |
135,359 | 3b18f51dda876373ef14780b3f89473fb93797aa | By . Ruth Styles for MailOnline . When Kate Bush gave birth to her only son Bertie, the child's existence was kept secret for more than five years until fellow singer Peter Gabriel inadvertently let it slip during an interview. Since then, the notoriously private musician has kept her son in the shadows, revealing little to fans and the media other than his name. Now, that seems set to change after 16-year-old Bertie, an aspiring musician in his own right, joined her on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo last night. Stepping out of the shadows: The mother of all comebacks was inspired by the son she once tried to hide from the world. Bertie McIntosh - the son Kate Bush had with her husband - sings, acts and dances in the show . Sporting a straw trilby from under which a halo of red curls could be seen, Bertie was one of five backing singers and has been, according to reports, working quietly with his mother for the last few years. 'He gave me the courage to push the button,' said Bush during last night's performance. 'Thank you Bertie. It's been a fantastic adventure so far. And it's only just begun.' So who is Bertie McIntosh? Born in 1998, his very existence was kept secret for years and he continues to live quietly with his mother and father David McIntosh in Berkshire. Known to be hugely supportive of his mother, he joined her at the Dorchester Hotel as she picked up a South Bank Arts award, watching proudly from the sidelines. But like his parents, music is his real passion and he has a track named after him on 2005 album Aerial and boasts singing credits on another track, Somewhere In Between. Still secretive: Kate Bush remains a private person and covered her face with her hands as she was driven away . Big moment: Kate Bush takes to the stage for the first time in 35 years - much to the excitement of fans . All change: Kate Bush in 1978 when she first burst onto the scene (left) and in a photo taken earlier this year . And his mother certainly appears to appreciate it. As well as his mention on stage, Bush also wrote glowingly of her son in the programme. 'Without my son Bertie, this would never . have happened,' she wrote. 'Without his encouragement and enthusiasm, particularly . in the early stages when I was very frightened to commit to pushing the "go" button, I'm sure I would have backed out. 'Throughout he has been my chief . consultant, my editor, my confidant. In order for him to be part of . this, which has always part of the deal, he has had to work really hard . in order to keep his school commitments as well as his commitments to . the show. 'He is a very talented actor and . beautiful singer, as you will witness and he brings something special to . the show through his presence. Thank you Bertie. Thank you so much.' As for Bertie himself, all he was prepared to say was to modestly note that he hopes his performances will allow him to 'earn his keep'. A chip off the old block if ever there was one. Big moment: Passionate fans such as Ian Harris, 67, waited 35 years for her to return to the stage . Big night: Last night's appearance at the Hammersmith Apollo was the first of a scheduled run of 22 concerts . | Bertie McIntosh, 16, is the son of Kate Bush and guitarist David McIntosh .
Appeared on stage with his mother at the Hammersmith Apollo last night .
Has plans to become a singer and has been quietly working with Bush .
Says he hopes his performances will allow him to 'earn my keep'
News of his birth in 1998 was kept secret for more than five years . |
238,479 | c0aee5a5b3e01d0525895f6bcfc574224e474d05 | Students today backed a petition calling on their university union to cancel a ‘sexist’ comedian’s gig. Self-described ‘proper lad’ Dapper Laughs - real name Daniel O’Reilly - is due to bring his Socially Unacceptable tour to the Cardiff University Students’ Union, Y Plas (The Place), in February. However, a petition demanding the union cancel the Londoner’s gig because of his ‘trivialisation of rape, unprotected sex and dehumanising of women’ has amassed almost 500 signatures in two days. 'Proper lad': Comedian Dapper Laughs, real name Daniel O’Reilly, is currently on his Socially Unacceptable tour . On the street: Dapper Laughs came to fame for his online videos where he gives ‘lad advice on romancing the ladies and being a geezer’. This still is from a Vine video entitled 'compliments are key' It states ‘misogynistic humour should not be supported by an organisation that stands for equality’. Petition organiser Vicky Chandler, 21, a final-year journalism student, said: ‘Dapper Laughs is that bloke that every woman knows who dresses up sexism as banter.’ ‘His jokes are so disrespectful to women and giving him a TV show and letting him perform at the university is normalising inappropriate behaviour.’ Dapper Laughs, who hails from Clapham, south-west London, came to fame for his online videos where he gives ‘lad advice on romancing the ladies and being a geezer’. He now has his own programme on ITV2 called On The Pull and has been accused of being a misogynist and encouraging men to harass women in public. Future date: The London comedian is due to perform at Cardiff University Students’ Union, Y Plas (The Place) 'Lad': This still is from a Vine video showing Dapper Laughs handing a beer to a London Marathon runner . In his videos, which are peppered with very explicit language, he can be seen yelling sexual comments at women on the street or from his car as he drives past. Last year, Cardiff University Students’ Union voted to implement an ‘anti-lad culture policy’ to stamp out behaviour that encouraged ‘gender, sexuality and rape-based humour’. And Miss Chandler said: ‘I think it is massively hypocritical for the students’ union to allow him to come and play here when he embodies everything that is wrong about lad culture. ‘Every time I go on a night out someone shouts at me or touches me. We need to do more to change the sexist culture at university. We need to make the university a safe place for women.’ Comments posted on the petition include one from Andy Williams, saying: ‘This guy would be a joke himself if his stuff wasn’t so insidious and damaging. It’s not OK to victimise women like this, and it’s massively exploitative to make a living out of rape jokes and sexism. It’s not innocent “banter”, it’s just offensive.’ Making a stand: A petition demanding the union cancel the Londoner’s gig because of his 'trivialisation of rape, unprotected sex and dehumanising of women' has amassed almost 500 signatures in two days . Dapper Laughs is one of the most successful comedians on mobile video app Vine, which distributes six-second clips playing on a loop. After starting out as a performer on cruise ships, he now has more than 500,000 followers on Vine and over a million Facebook fans, as well as his own show on ITV2 and a popular live tour. However, critics have repeatedly accused Dapper Laughs of sexism, arguing that his 'laddish' humour relies on treating women as objects who should only be seen as sexual conquests. One reviewer of his TV show described his style of comedy as 'unpleasant sexism dressed up as banter', pointing to a scene in which he tells men they should not make friends with women because it reduces their chance of a one-night stand with them. His short videos repeatedly revolve around him advising men how to get no-strings sex, or feature him accosting women in the streets. However, defenders saying that Dapper Laughs is nothing more than a comic persona for Daniel O'Reilly, claiming that any sexism in his jokes is intended to be ironic. Caroline Hodges added: ‘I cannot believe that an SU [students' union] that is so concerned about not encouraging lad culture that it completely rebranded one of its club nights would allow such a disgusting misogynist act to perform in it. ‘Dapper Laughs trivialises rape, objectifies women and encourages other men to do the same. We should not be providing him with a platform on which to express his warped views.’ Students’ Union president Elliot Howells said Dapper Laughs had been booked to play their Y Plas venue by an external promoter and had not been vetted by the organisation. He added: ‘We didn’t choose to have this person come to our venue and this situation has highlighted a gap in our policies - and as a result we will be reviewing them to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. ‘We are also looking into options to address the petition. We operate an anti-lad culture policy at our events and are committed to making the university a safe place for all students.’ Dapper Laughs is also visiting Manchester, London, Newcastle, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham and Oxford before performing in Cardiff on February 22. Following that gig he will also play in Bristol, Bournemouth, Leicester and Nottingham. However, none of his other forthcoming dates are at university or union venues. A spokesman for Dapper Laughs did not immediately return a request for comment from MailOnline. | 'Proper lad' Dapper Laughs due in Cardiff on Socially Unacceptable tour .
But petition demanding union cancel his gig has almost 500 signatures .
The campaign criticises his 'trivialisation of rape and dehumanising women' |
38,007 | 6b8a9d61892bc0365306987cf10686079838792c | (CNN) -- An explosive device hidden inside a newspaper exploded when a Vacaville, California, man picked it up near his doorstep Sunday morning, a city official said. The wounded man was airlifted to a hospital, and residents of a dozen neighboring homes were evacuated, Vacaville city spokesman Mark Mazzaferro said. It was not immediately known if the victim was targeted or if any other bombs may be hidden at other homes, Mazzaferro said. His condition was not immediately known. No other explosive devices have been located, but a bomb squad from Travis Air Force Base and federal investigators are combing the neighborhood with explosives-sniffing dogs in the Brown's Valley section of the town, he said. Residents have gathered at a community center while the search and investigation is conducted, he said. CNN's Chuck Johnston contributed to this report. | Police are searching for other bombs in the neighborhood .
No other explosive devices have been found .
About a dozen homes in Vacaville, California, are evacuated .
The wounded man was airlifted to a hospital . |
50,052 | 8d8a4beb773878341dcfcd5366354e90f6768b23 | The boss of the NSA has denied claims the agency routinely eavesdrops on the phone calls of Americans, insisting that fewer than 60 'U.S. persons' were currently being targeted worldwide. General Keith Alexander said the agency only targets the communications of nationals 'with a probable cause' after obtaining a court order. He was speaking to CBS television's 60 Minutes after granting the station unprecedented access to its secretive HQ in a belated damage-limitation exercise in the wake of Edward Snowden's leaks. On the defence: NSA chief General Keith Alexander tells CBS's 60 Minutes that the agency is only spying on fewer than '60 U.S. persons' as he denies claims it routinely listened into phone calls . Preserving their reputation: 60 Minutes was granted unprecedented access to its secretive HQ in a belated damage-limitation exercise in the wake of Edward Snowden's leaks . 'NSA can only target the communications of a US person with a probable cause finding under specific court order,' he said, referring to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. 'Today, we have less than 60 authorisations on specific persons to do that.' Alexander challenged the view that the NSA was engaged in listening to the content of phone calls, but acknowledged that basic information of more than 300million phone records were collected. He said: 'There's no reason that we would listen to the phone calls of Americans. There’s no intelligence value in that. 'There's no reason that we'd want to read their email. There is no intelligence value in that.' Alexander's second-in command, Rick Ledgett, later told the program that Snowden had effectively stolen the 'keys to the kingdom' when he swiped more than 1.5 million top secret files. Damaging: Another NSA chief, Rick Ledgett (pictured), told the program that Snowden had effectively stolen the 'keys to the kingdom' when he swiped more than 1.5 million top secret files . Worried: Ledgett said of particular concern was Snowden's theft of around 31,000 documents the NSA official described as an 'exhaustive list of the requirements that have been levied against the NSA' Ledgett, who heads the NSA taskforce in . charge of assessing the impact of Snowden's leaks, said the contractor . possessed a 'roadmap' of the US intelligence community's strengths and . weaknesses. He said of particular concern was Snowden's theft of around 31,000 documents the NSA official described as an 'exhaustive list of the requirements that have been levied against the National Security Agency.' 'What that gives is, what topics we're interested in, where our gaps are,' said Ledgett. 'Additional information about US capabilities and US gaps is provided as part of that.' The information could potentially offer a rival nation a 'roadmap of what we know, what we don't know, and give them - implicitly - a way to protect their information from the US intelligence community's view,' the NSA official added. 'It is the keys to the kingdom.' Secretive operations: The NSA has made dozens of changes in its operations and computer networks to prevent the emergence of another Snowden . Ledgett said he would be open to the possibility of an amnesty for Snowden, who remains exiled in Russia, if he agreed to stop further leaks of classified information. 'My personal view is, yes, it's worth having a conversation about' a possible deal, said Ledgett. Snowden has been charged with espionage by US authorities for divulging reams of secret files. The former NSA contractor has insisted he spilled secrets to spark public debate and expose the NSA's far-reaching surveillance. But Alexander rejected the idea of any amnesty for Snowden. 'This is analogous to a hostage-taker taking 50 people hostage, shooting 10 and then say 'You give me full amnesty and I'll let the other 40 go,' Alexander told 60 Minutes. In all, Ledgett says Snowden is likely to still be in possession of more than 1.5 million classified documents as he waits in asylum in Russia. Top secret: A room known as the black chamber where the NSA's codebreakers operate . Meanwhile, the NSA has made dozens of changes in its operations and computer networks to prevent the emergence of another Snowden, including potential disciplinary action, a top NSA official said on Friday, as a White House review panel recommended restraints on NSA spying. In the more than hour-long interview with Reuters, Ledgett acknowledged the agency had done a poor job in its initial public response to revelations of vast NSA monitoring of phone and Internet data; pledged more transparency; and said he was deeply worried about highly classified documents not yet public that are among the 1.7 million Snowden is believed to have accessed. He also stoutly defended the NSA's mission of tracking terrorist plots and other threats, and said its recruiting of young codebreakers, linguists and computer geeks has not been affected by the Snowden affair - even as internal morale has been. 'Any time you trust people, there is always a chance that someone will betray you,' he said. The NSA is taking 41 specific technical . measures to control data by tagging and tracking it, to supervise agency . networks with controls on activity, and to increase oversight of . individuals. The NSA's HQ in Fort Meade, Maryland: Ledgett said Snowden's documents could potentially give rival nations a 'roadmap' showing them how to protect their information from the US intelligence community's view . Measures include requiring two-person . control of every place where someone could access data and enhancing the . security process that people go through and requiring more frequent . screenings of systems administrative access, Ledgett said. After . months of sometimes blistering criticism in the news media and by . Congress and foreign governments, the publicity-averse NSA is now . mounting an effort to tell its side of the Snowden story. Ledgett, . a 36-year intelligence veteran who reportedly is in line to be the . agency's deputy director, joked that doing media interviews was 'a . complete out-of-body experience for me.' He . spoke to Reuters on the same day that the White House said it had . decided to maintain the practice of having a single individual head both . the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, which conducts cyberwarfare - an . outcome the NSA leadership favored. Separately, . news reports late Thursday said an outside review panel appointed by . the White House has recommended changes in a program disclosed by . Snowden that collects basic data on Americans' phone calls - known as . metadata. Bargaining Chip: Authorities say Snowden still has 1.5 million classified documents in his possession . The panel reportedly said the data should be held by an organization other than the NSA and stricter rules should be enforced for searching the databanks. Ledgett declined to discuss the . panel's specific recommendations. But he seemed to acknowledge that . tighter guidelines for NSA eavesdropping were in the offing, saying that . what is technologically possible 'has gotten ahead of policy.' Snowden, . who is living under asylum in Russia, disclosed a vast U.S. eavesdropping apparatus that includes the phone metadata program; NSA . querying of Internet communications via major companies such as Google . Inc and Facebook Inc; and widespread tapping of international . communication networks. Ledgett made no apologies for what many see as overly aggressive NSA monitoring. He . noted that the U.S. government's intelligence taskings to the agency . run to 36,000 pages, and said its activities take place within a 'box' of U.S. laws and policies.'We'll color in every square . millimeter of that box,' he said, implying the NSA will use its legal . authorities to the fullest extent possible. The . NSA's internal review has determined about 98 percent of the scope of . the material that Snowden had accessed, and officials have found no . evidence that he had help either within the NSA or from adversary spy . agencies. Ledgett said . that when Snowden was downloading the documents, NSA was ahead of other . intelligence agencies in installing 'insider threat' software that . President Barack Obama ordered in the wake of an earlier leak scandal . involving the group WikiLeaks. But installation of the software, which might have stopped Snowden, was not complete. 'Snowden hit at a really opportune time. For him - not for us,' he said. Ledgett said that most of the Snowden material released publicly so far has been about NSA programs and partnerships with foreign countries and companies, rather than intelligence reports and 'requirements.' The latter refers to U.S. government taskings to the NSA to answer questions about specific targets. That last category is what keeps him up at night. 'Those make me nervous because they reveal what we know and what we don't know and they are almost a roadmap for adversaries.' No one at the NSA has yet lost their job over the Snowden crisis, including at the Hawaii site where he worked. Ledgett said three people are under review for potential disciplinary action, but declined further comment. | Gen Keith Alexander says NSA does not routinely eavesdrop on US citizens .
Says agency will only listen to phone calls if they have obtained court order .
He does not believe that Snowden should be granted amnesty for documents .
But second-in-command says it's a move 'worth having conversation about'
Rick Ledgett said Snowden had effectively 'stolen the keys to the kingdom' |
226,961 | b1e2cab6baab20d3a9cc784acf7dd680bfc50544 | Steven Caulker has completed his move to QPR in an £8million deal from Cardiff City - after being convinced by the prospect of playing alongside Rio Ferdinand. The 22-year-old England international was allowed to travel to the London club for tests after Cardiff accepted an offer and he officially signed for the club on Tuesday. Crystal Palace had also matched the fee and offered wages of around £42,000 a week but QPR bettered those terms and convinced the former Tottenham defender that a move to Loftus Road, where he will figure alongside Ferdinand, can propel him back into the international fold. New arrival: Steven Caulker has signed for QPR from Cardiff City in an £8million deal . Excited: Caulker said the prospect of playing with Rio Ferdinand convinced him to join the club . Boss: He also says the draw of returning to play with Harry Redknapp once again was crucial to his decision . Survival: Caulker says the main aim for the club is to ensure safety this season by reaching 40 points . On the move: Steven Caulker has signed for QPR from Cardiff City in an £8million deal . Defensive duo: Caulker will play alongside Rio Ferdinand who has also signed for QPR . Caulker told the club's official website: 'Harry was a big factor for me, having worked with him at Tottenham. 'Being able to play with Rio Ferdinand was also a big draw. He has been a role model for many years, along with Ledley King. 'Our first aim this season has to be to get to 40 points, to make sure we stay up.' QPR are also poised to make their move for Troy Deeney of Watford. Leicester yesterday offered £6.5m but that has been rejected. A deal could be struck involving Leicester midfielder Andy King going the other way but Burnley and Swansea may yet re-enter the bidding for Deeney. Watford have been encouraged by Fulham agreeing to pay Leeds up to £11m for Ross McCormack and Leicester up to £10m for Brighton’s Leonardo Ulloa. Watford believe Deeney’s goalscoring record compares favourably with those two and hence will hold out for a similar price. Further signings: Harry Redknapp's business is not finished there though, he wants Troy Deeney from Watford . In demand: Deeney is also a target for Premier League sides Burnley, Leicester and Swansea . VIDEO New teams won't break into top seven - Redknapp . | QPR complete signing of Cardiff defender Steven Caulker for £8million .
Crystal Palace were also interested and matched QPR's offer .
But prospect of playing alongside Rio Ferdinand convinced Caulker .
QPR are also poised to step up interest in striker Troy Deeney from Watford . |
256,186 | d79d7cf900b074db9ec15582ab055912de2b91b4 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 14:42 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:42 EST, 26 August 2013 . Most of us would turn and run when faced with an erupting volcano. But one intrepid photographer has trekked right up to a molten lava spewing crater in search of the perfect shot. Miles Morgan was just one metre away from the source of the eruptions when he took some of these incredible images of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. The 42-year-old - who burned his feet in the process - said: 'On this outing we were able to access the beach, which made for some dramatic photography, but came with a surprise. These close ups photos of a raging volcano left this intrepid photographer with burned feet after he trekked right up to the crater to get the perfect angle . Miles Morgan, 42, was just one metre away from the source of the eruptions when he took some of these incredible images of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii . Lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano enters the sea south of Kalapana in Big Island, Hawaii . 'I wasn't too concerned as some bigger waves started to crash onto the beach area. But the water rushed in above my knees, it was scalding hot.' The Kilauea Volcano is one of the most active volcanos in the world and has been erupting constantly for the last 20 years. But Mr Morgan was determined to get as close as possible for his shots and added: 'At times, it was possible to get right up to the flow itself if the wind was blowing the plume away from us. The amazing images show the photographer just yards away from the spewing lava . The Kilauea Volcano is one of the most active volcanos in the world and has been erupting constantly for the last 20 years . The photographer was determined to get as close as . possible for his shots and added: 'At times, it was possible to get . right up to the flow itself if the wind was blowing the plume away from . us' The photographer, from Portland, Oregon, USA, was not injured while taking his images but admits another photographer was lost and is thought to have been killed just a week earlier . He said the closest he got was probably about one metre, which required him to run away each time a wave hit the lava in case there was an explosion . 'The closest I got was probably about one metre, which required me to run away each time a wave hit the lava in case there was an explosion.' Mr Morgan, from Portland, Oregon, USA, was not injured while taking his images but admits another photographer was lost and is thought to have been killed just a week earlier. 'The most probably cause would be that a portion of the lava bench that builds out over the sea collapsed while he was on it,' suggested Miles. The photographer, who also works as an airline pilot, said his wife supported his adventures, but admits he usually hides his expeditions from other family until afterwards . He explained the tactics behind his unusual hobby: 'The most important challenge, was not allowing yourself to become so hypnotised by the lava that you lose sight of the very real and ever-present dangers that surround you' The photographer, who also works as an airline pilot, said his wife supported his adventures, but admits he usually hides his expeditions from other family until afterwards. He added: 'Things change every second, so timing the shots and the waves is a constant battle. 'The most important challenge, was not allowing yourself to become so hypnotised by the lava that you lose sight of the very real and ever-present dangers that surround you.' | Miles Morgan was just one metre away from the source of eruptions when he took these incredible images .
42-year-old - who burned his feet in process - trekked right up to lava spewing crater in search of perfect shot . |
151,467 | 4fd29706c4bb688dc41baa4d87b88f29aab8b02e | Jose Mourinho insists he had nothing to do with Diego Costa’s omission from the latest Spain squad. Costa has been struggling with injuries this season, first with his hamstring and now with a pelvic problem. He has been nursed carefully through games but will start at Liverpool on Saturday and then take a two-week break from competitive football after Vicente del Bosque left him out of the Spain squad. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Diego Costa (centre) - seen here training at Cobham earlier this week - will start for Chelsea against Liverpool . Jose Mourinho insists he had nothing to do with Costa's omission from the Spain squad . Costa came off the bench to play the second half for Chelsea against Maribor on Wednesday night . Eden Hazard celebrates with Costa after his penalty earned Chelsea a 2-1 victory over QPR last weekend . Del Bosque's team play Belarus in a Euro 2016 qualifier on November 15 before facing Gemany in a friendly three days later. Asked about Costa's omission from the Spain squad, Mourinho added: 'I am pleased yes, but I want to make it clear I did nothing for that to happen. 'That 15 days finally he can rest and work properly. It’s fantastic news for us, and I want to thank the Spanish federation for the decision but I want to make it clear I did nothing for that to happen. 'He will have a period of complete rest immediately after the match. No treatment. No massacre on his muscle. Just rest. Then continue the specific work he’s doing without having a match. Mourinho was unhappy when Costa was selected by Spain manager Vicente del Bosque last month . 'It’s very good news for him and us and also for the national team. Now he has to go in the right direction. It’s good for Spain to have a good Diego and not a so-so Diego.' Mourinho also confirmed that forward Loic Remy is also available for selection following a groin injury, giving him a fully-fit squad to choose from. Loic Remy hobbles off after injuring his groin in the process of scoring against Maribor last month . | Jose Mourinho confirms Diego Costa will start against Liverpool .
Costa not included in Spain squad for games against Belarus and Germany .
The striker has been struggling with hamstring and pelvic injuries .
Mourinho says the striker will have a rest after the Liverpool match .
Loic Remy also passed fit for Chelsea following groin injury . |
29,465 | 53bdf3a80e068306552836f1234cf6c61aaca594 | Check out Martin Samuel's account of the thrilling 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield . Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool can still finish in the top four after dramatically salvaging a point against Arsenal. Martin Skrtel’s 96th minute header secured a 2-2 draw against Arsene Wenger’s side and Liverpool’s manager believes the goal can provide crucial momentum heading into the New Year. Arsenal’s performance was underwhelming but they looked set to record a significant victory after Mathieu Debuchy cancelled out Philippe Coutinho’s opener and Olivier Giroud pounced in the second half. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail's Big Match Stats plus Rodgers and Wenger reactions . Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel jumps above the Arsenal backline to power home a late leveller with his head and claim a point . Skrtel celebrates after scoring a dramatic equaliser against Arsenal in injury time at Anfield on Sunday . The 30-year-old is joined by Reds midfielder Adam Lallana after his last-gasp goal earned the hosts a morale-boosting point . Brendan Rodgers's side had looked as though they were heading for their second consecutive defeat before Skrtel struck at the death . Rodgers talks to Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during the Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday . Fabio Borini was sent off for Liverpool after receiving two bookings in as many minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute . Liverpool (3-4-3): Jones, 6 Toure, 6 (Lambert, 81), Skrtel, 7, Sakho, 5.5, Henderson, 6.5, Lucas, 7, Gerrard, 7, Markovic, 7 (Borini, 74), Lallana, 6, Sterling, 7, Coutinho, 7.5. Subs not used: Mignolet (GK), Enrique, Moreno, Manquillo, Can. Scorers: Coutinho, 44, Skrtel, 90 +6. Booked: Borini . Sent off: Borini . Manager: Brendan Rodgers, 7. Arsenal (4-3-3): Szczesny 6.5, Chambers 6, Mertesacker 6, Debuchy 6.5, Gibbs 5.5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 5, Flamini 6.5, Cazorla 7, Sanchez 6.5, Giroud, 6.5 Welbeck 5.5. Subs not used: Martinez, Podolski, Walcott, Maitland-Niles. Scorers: Debuchy, 45+1, Giroud, 64. Booked: Flamini, Debuchy. Manager: Arsene Wenger . Attendance: 44,703 . Referee: Michael Oliver, 7. Man-of-the-Match: Philippe Coutinho . Olivier Giroud struck to put Arsenal ahead before Martin Skrtel's dramatic late leveller. Click here for more from our brilliant Match Zone service . But Liverpool, who had Fabio Borini sent off for two bookable offences, dug in and Rodgers feels they showed enough to suggest they can recapture last season’s swagger and reclaim an unlikely place in Europe’s top competition. When asked if they were still contenders, Rodgers said: ‘Absolutely. It is always going to be a big challenge. Of course, we have to make up points but we have shown this is a club that can go on a run and win games. ‘In the second half of last season, we went on a run of 11 wins. The most important thing is the confidence. When we bring Daniel Sturridge back in January, we can get back to being that team. Liverpool, who are in 10th position, have 22 points from 17 games this season, and no Barclays Premier League team has ever finished higher than sixth with that record at this stage. But Rodgers is adamant his side are still performing at the level he requires. ‘Slowly we are getting back to where we want to be,’ he said. ‘Our performance was outstanding, the passing, intensity and the pressing. Olivier Giroud expertly puts the ball through the legs of Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones to give Arsenal the lead at Anfield . Danny Welbeck jumps on the back of goalscorer Giroud and is joined by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (right) as Arsenal celebrate scoring . Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy beats Liverpool centre back Martin Skrtel in the air to equalise for the Gunners shortly before half-time . French right back Debuchy wheels away to celebrate his headed goal as Skrtel and Kolo Toure react having conceded the equaliser . Debuchy jumps and punches the air and is joined by Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud as the pair celebrate Arsenal's leveller at Anfield . 'So we are disappointed with the goals we conceded but our character was very good. We have played better and dominated more than we did last year when we won 5-1.’ Arsene Wenger, by contrast, was more circumspect and he felt the memories of the demolition they suffered at Anfield in February was still playing on his squad’s minds. Arsenal’s manager said: ‘They came back and played very well. They were down to 10 men. To concede the corner that was a bit unlucky. From then on we conceded. 'Overall it is a fair result but a frustrating result for us because they came back when we had plenty of defenders on the pitch. ‘We had problems to get our flow going. In the first half, it was down to tactical and some psychological reasons. In the second half, we played much better but at 2-1 we sat back too much.’ Philippe Coutinho shoots through a crowd of bodies in the area to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead against Arsenal during Sunday's encounter . Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker attempts to block the ball as Coutinho rifles his shot low and hard at goal to fire Liverpool ahead . Brazil international Coutinho is congratulated by his team-mates after opening the scoring during the Premier League clash at Anfield . Santi Cazorla's shirt is ripped and the midfielder's chest is cut following a foul from Borini late on in the game . Skrtel receives treatment on the pitch following a clash of heads with Arsenal goalscorer Giroud . Goalscorer Coutinho controls the ball as Arsenal and England winger Oxlade-Chamberlain closes in and puts pressure on the Brazilian . Skrtel finished the match with his head bandaged. He needed eight staples putting into a wound that Giroud accidentally inflicted, which led to so much injury time – nine minutes in total were added – being played. ‘He is a strong character,’ said Rodgers. ‘Martin stayed on and scored a great header. 'He is a real warrior. Since he went back into the team he has scored goals and they are important for us. He was the top scoring defender in the league last year.’ Rodgers was aggrieved with Arsenal’s opening goal for a number of reasons, saying: 'A lot of our goals we give away are poor goals. 'I didn’t think it was a free-kick. I thought (Alexis) Sanchez dived but when it came in we lost three one-v-one headers, that is not about organisation that is about winning the duel. 'In the first half we were outstanding but had to regroup at half-time. The key is we are moving in the right direction.’ | Liverpool salvaged a last-gasp draw against Arsenal on Sunday after Martin Skrtel struck at the death .
The 30-year-old headed home in the sixth minute of injury time to save Brendan Rodgers' blushes .
Earlier Skrtel needed eight staples put into a head wound following a collision with Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud .
As a result there were nine minutes of stoppage time added on - with the hosts benefiting greatly from this .
The Liverpool boss insists they can still finish in the top four but admits it will be a 'big challenge'
The Reds are 10th in the table, nine points behind fourth-placed West Ham . |
71,242 | c9fb49d0d570bdf5f3fcdc929ccbc4da015b7bcc | DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- A Colorado man was convicted of first-degree murder and a bias-motivated crime and sentenced to life in prison for killing a transgender teen he met on an online social networking site. Allen Andrade was convicted of first-degree murder and a hate crime in the slaying of a transgender teen. It was the first time in the nation that a state hate crime statute resulted in a conviction in a transgender person's murder, the advocacy group Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said. Seated in the front row of the courtroom, the family of Angie Zapata broke out in tears as the verdicts against Allen Andrade were read Wednesday. The jury deliberated for just under two hours before returning the verdict shortly after 3 p.m. Watch Andrade listen to the verdict » . "I lost somebody so precious," said Maria Zapata, the victim's mother. She glanced at Andrade and continued: "The only thing he can't take away is the love and the memories that I have of my baby. My beautiful, beautiful baby." Andrade spoke just one word. "No," he said when asked if he wished to address the court. Judge Marcelo Kopcow then imposed the mandatory sentence for the first-degree murder conviction -- life in prison without parole. Watch Andrade get sentenced to life without parole » . The verdict was hailed by gay and transgender rights groups. "This is a landmark decision," said Mindy Barton, the legal director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado. Barton attended the trial daily. "Hearing 'guilty on first-degree murder' and 'guilty of bias-motivated crime' was a hugely emotional experience for all the family, friends and the supporters of Angie," Barton added. "She will not be forgotten." Andrade admitted killing Zapata, but his defense argued that he acted in the heat of passion after discovering that Zapata was biologically male. The defense asked for a lesser verdict, such as second-degree murder or manslaughter. Throughout the trial, prosecutors referred to Zapata as "she," while the defense referred to the transgender teen, who was born Justin Zapata, as "he." "When [Andrade] met him, he met him as 'Angie,' " defense attorney Annette Kundelius argued on Wednesday. "When he found out it wasn't 'Angie,' that it was 'Justin,' he lost control." But the jury rejected the argument, deciding in favor of prosecutors, who argued that Andrade knew Zapata was biologically male and that knowledge motivated the crime. "This was an ambush attack," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Robb Miller. "This was an all-out blitz." Zapata was "born in a boy's body but living as a female," added Miller. "Ultimately, she was murdered because of it." The case has become a rallying point for supporters of the transgender community, who have held vigils and launched Web sites in remembrance of Zapata. They are calling for the inclusion of transgender people in hate crime statutes across the country and at the federal level. Currently, 11 states and the District of Columbia recognize transgender people in their hate crime laws. According to prosecutors, Zapata, 18, and Andrade, 32, met online in summer 2008 and arranged to meet. Zapata brought Andrade to her apartment in Greeley, Colorado, where they spent nearly three days together. According to a police affidavit, Zapata was out of the apartment when Andrade noticed photographs that made him "question victim Zapata's sex." Andrade confronted Zapata, who declared, "I am all woman." Andrade then grabbed Zapata and discovered male genitalia. According to court records, Andrade told police he began hitting Zapata with his fists, knocking her to the ground. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher and twice hit her in the head. Andrade told police he thought he had "killed it," referring to Zapata, and covered her with a blanket. Realizing what he had done, he then cleaned up the crime scene, the affidavit said. Andrade told police he heard "gurgling" sounds coming from the victim and saw Zapata sitting up. He hit her again with the fire extinguisher, he said, according to the affidavit. Andrade took Zapata's car and fled. Police discovered the car two weeks later and arrested Andrade. The jury heard jailhouse phone conversations, including Andrade telling a girlfriend "gay things must die." He did not testify in his own defense. Zapata was 16 when she adopted the name "Angie," and made the decision to live as a woman. | Allen Andrade guilty of murder, bias crime in teen's slaying .
Advocates: Case is first conviction in nation for transgender hate crime .
Case has been closely watched by transgender rights groups . |
200,617 | 8fb2103d037ce93f8a154f4e18456d15e79a93b9 | (Rolling Stone) -- You probably could've guessed it was a Beach Boys show just by the shirts the men in the audience wore: Collared, short-sleeved and oversized, with palm trees, hibiscus flowers and nautical gear printed all over them. At the back of the stage, surfboards were lined up like Grecian columns on either side of a huge video screen. It wasn't until midway through the band's second set that Mike Love acknowledged what half the people in the audience must've been thinking: "It's, uh, been a little while since we've all been on tour together." This year, the Beach Boys turn 50. Until the Grammys this past February, Brian Wilson, the band's troubled heart, hadn't been on stage with the rest of them since 1996. The tour kickoff last night at the Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater in Tucson was, in that sense, a milestone: not only a marker of their anniversary, but of a public reconciliation between Wilson and the band's other surviving original members: Al Jardine, Bruce Johnson, David Marks and Wilson's cousin, Mike Love. It's not until a band like the Beach Boys runs through their hits back-to-back in rapid succession that you realize just how many hits they've had. Over the course of nearly two and a half hours, they played an astonishing 42 songs, many of them medley-style, with nearly no banter in between. Amid the most familiar stuff -- "California Girls," "Surfin' Safari," "Good Vibrations" -- were a healthy number of deep cuts and covers, including "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and Phil Spector's "Then He Kissed Me," which Jardine probably wisely rephrased as "Then I Kissed Her." There were also two uncanny video appearances by Carl and Dennis Wilson, both of whom died years ago. (Dennis "sang" "Forever," while Carl took on "God Only Knows," a song Brian wrote for him on 1966's Pet Sounds.) And about halfway through the second set, something new showed up: A reflective midtempo ballad called "That's Why God Made the Radio" -- a moment that, like so much of the band's best music, elevated the adolescent to the divine. Onstage, Mike Love was a low-key kind of showboat, stepping back and forth with the beat, miming the revving of a motorcycle engine on "Little Honda" and hugging his elbows when he sang "and the northern girls with the way they kiss, they keep their boyfriends warm at night" on "California Girls." Brian seemed placid and stone-faced, sitting at the bench of a large white grand piano. "Ladies and gentlemen, Brian Wilson," Al Jardine said after "This Whole World," at which point the crowd rose to their feet in reverence as he sat, blinking. In a sense, Love and Wilson have always been spiritual opposites: Brian wanted to escape to the solace of his bed on "In My Room"; Mike wanted to escape to the solace of tropical beaches on "Kokomo." They are as strange a pair as they've ever been, but it's their balance -- between Brian's quiet yearning and Mike's inability to have anything short of a good time -- that creates the band's strange chemistry. And while this was in some ways a show about Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys are a highly professional enterprise that depend on highly professional people. At any given time there were between six and fifteen hands on stage, including multitaskers on various saxophones and someone to pick up the French horn on "God Only Knows," the harmonica on "Heroes and Villains" and the theremin for "Good Vibrations." Oh, and do that singing thing they do, too. Considering it was the first night of a semi-momentous reunion tour, there wasn't a whole lot of sentimentality going back and forth, which isn't to say the band didn't care about each other, only that they probably cared about the audience more. There were moments, though, between the childhood photographs of the band flashing on the big screen and the brief congratulations they gave each other between songs, that the weight of their history together was felt. At the end of "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)," Al Jardine looked at the floor, shook his head and laughed. In the 50 years between then and now, they'd grown up. Throughout the night, a security guard patiently collected beach balls that had traveled through the crowd, stockpiling them behind a large speaker at stage right. By the end of the second set, the pile had reached halfway up the speakers to the jumbo screen, where Brian's white grand piano lingered on the screen for a second, then disappeared. During the encore he batted them back into the crowd, one by one. Setlist . "Do It Again" "Catch A Wave" "Don't Back Down" "Surfin' Safari" "Surfer Girl" "The Little Girl I Once Knew" "Wendy" "Then He Kissed Me" (Phil Spector/The Crystals) "This Whole World" "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" "You're So Good to Me" "In Them Old Cottonfields Back Home" "Be True to Your School" "Disney Girls" "Please Let Me Wonder" "Don't Worry Baby" "Little Honda" "Little Deuce Coupe" "409" "Shut Down" "I Get Around" "Sloop John B" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Forever" "Sail On Sailor" "Heroes and Villains" "In My Room" "All This Is That" "God Only Knows" "That's Why God Made the Radio" "California Dreaming" (The Mamas and the Papas) "California Girls" "Dance Dance Dance" "All Summer Long" "Help Me Rhonda" "Rock and Roll Music" (Chuck Berry) "Barbara Ann" "Surfin' U.S.A." Encore: . "Kokomo" "Good Vibrations" "Fun Fun Fun" See the full article at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone. | The Beach Boys kicked off their 50th anniversary tour in Tucson .
It was a public reconciliation between Brian Wilson and the band's other members .
Over the course of nearly two and a half hours, they played an astonishing 42 songs . |
213,651 | a0b3fea42ef8c53b2539219e40e18583e92db350 | UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino has defended the expansion of the European Championship, insisting more teams and multiple host countries will 'inject the virus of football' throughout the continent. The championship has been expanded from 16 to 24 teams for Euro 2016 while the 2020 tournament will be held in 13 different countries. The new format for 2020 is a one-off measure to celebrate the 60th anniversary of European competition but there is concern that multiple host nations will reduce enthusiasm and atmosphere during the event. VIDEO Scroll down for UEFA boss Gianni Infantino on European Championship changes . UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino claims the reforms have added a new dynamic to the Euros . 'It's a great concept,' Infantino said. 'We always have great parties when the Euros are hosted in one country but now our ambition is to organise a Euros for Europe. 'We want to inject the virus of football in the whole of Europe. 'In the 13 cities, people will feel the Euros belongs to them and it gives countries who have never hosted, the chance to host. 'They have the chance to build a new stadium and boost the development of football in their own country.' London's Wembley has won the right to host both the semi-finals and the final at Euro 2020 but other, less renowned football cities, will hold matches including Baku in Azerbaijan, Budapest in Hungary and St Petersburg in Russia. Wembley stadium in London has won the right to host the semi-finals and final at Euro 2020 . None of those three cities have ever held a European finals fixture before but there is concern that local interest will dwindle if host countries are knocked out or fail to qualify. 'Even if the national team do not participate I think there will be an enthusiasm for hosting a European Championship,' Infantino said. 'These are countries who have never organised a Euro and who would never be able to organise a Euro. 'And we have seen in the Euros before when host teams go out there is still an enthusiasm for the games.' Adding eight more countries to the 2016 finals means two sides now automatically qualify, with third-placed teams earning a play-off spot. Marseille's Stade Velodrome has been upgraded with a capacity of 67,500 and will host matches in Euro 2016 . The changes have given more hope to sides previously unlikely to go through but it has also reduced the competitiveness of the qualification stage for more established countries. 'The effect of 24 teams qualifying makes almost all the teams think they have a chance to qualify and that has created a new dynamic,' Infantino said. 'We saw Cyprus beating Bosnia, the Czech Republic beating the Netherlands, Albania beating Portugal in Portugal. 'It creates a new dynamic and it can make the qualification process even more interesting.' Infantino added: 'You develop football in Europe not only by developing football in a couple of countries but by making sure the whole of Europe feels integrated. 'Of the top 32 teams in the world, 20 are European so the quality of football in Europe is there.' Infantino addresses his audience at the Leaders in Sport conference in London on Thursday . | The tournament for Euro 2016 has been expanded from 16 to 24 teams .
The 2020 tournament will be held in 13 different countries across Europe .
Gianni Infantino says the changes have created a new dynamic . |
126,947 | 301a1a25f79c6377401faf02622e1ccb31b709b5 | (CNN) -- There was a time when Tel Aviv's beachfront was just another neighborhood sandwiched between the city's bustling Namal port district and historic old town. Not anymore. Today the area is home to some of Israel's most sought-after luxury real estate and has been dubbed the "Golden Kilometer" thanks to the rocketing cost of living space. A seventeenth floor apartment of 600 square meters (6,420 square feet) here sold for $23 million recently, a record for Tel Aviv. In the same area, a rented unit of 300 square meters (3,228 square feet) is on the market for $10 million. These premium prices represent a big change for a city that was brought to its knees due by large debts at the end of the 1990s. In the last four years alone, however, the waterfront property market has generated nearly half a billion dollars of investment. See also: Where are the world's most expensive luxury properties? The turning point can be traced back to the development of the city's Namal Port area. It was here that architects Ganit and Udi Kassif won the contract to renovate a huge space that had sat idle for 50 years. The pair quickly set about creating quirky living and work space for the city's hip up-and-comers. "This project started a real revolution," said Ganit Kassif. "After this many mayors said to us, make it like the Tel Aviv port." Old empty warehouses in Namal are now filled with creative types and cutting edge retailers. One of these young merchants is Shir Halpern, owner of the city's first organic market. Although initially skeptical about setting up shop in an old industrial space, he now sees the virtue of the location. "At the beginning the port felt to me like too isolated ... too far from the vibrance (sic) and power of the city," Halpern said. "But looking back it was really a perfect choice." See also: Could micro-homes offer big solution? The lively, can do vibe of Namal has since spread to other areas of the city, including the beachfront. But while the most lucrative properties may reside by the sea, the high end market can be found spreading to other districts as well. Jaffa, an old fishing neighborhood to the city's south now hosts properties valued as high as $5 million apiece. According to the city's mayor, Ron Huldai, however, Tel Aviv's fundamental landscape and attractions are what continue make it such an appealing place to live whether that be in a luxury abode or not. "We have an excellent beach, excellent weather excellent food, restaurants," Huldai said. "Why not (have) people coming here to enjoy themselves?" | Tel Aviv's beachfront is home to some of Israel's most expensive luxury real estate .
The waterfront district has generated more than half a billion dollars worth of investment in the last four years .
Multi-million dollar property prices represent a big change for a city that was on its knees at the end of the 1990s . |
243,630 | c757762f3c4580bb9c6fdf99c57394886ba4ea2e | (CNN) -- The latest celebrity breakup is a surprising one: Folk singer Jewel and her husband Ty Murray are going their separate ways. Jewel made the announcement herself on her blog on July 2, explaining that she and Murray, whom she calls her "husband, friend and partner of 16 years," preferred for the world to hear about their impending divorce directly. "Ty and I have always tried to live the most authentic life possible, and we wanted our separation as husband and wife to be nothing less loving than the way we came together," Jewel writes. "We have no desire to damage ourselves and each other in the process ... while we learn to redraw ourselves in whatever new shape we find as separate people who are still striving to be the best versions of ourselves- as humans and as parents." Jewel and Murray, a professional rodeo cowboy, married in 2008 after dating for 10 years. They welcomed their only child, son Kase, in 2011. "Oddly the very thing that Ty and I sought in coming together is the very thing we seek in separating," Jewel says in her blog. "We both value growth. And growth became tragically and undeniably stifled as a couple, and we believe we can find it again in setting each other free. We truly believe we can find greater happiness apart than together, and this is why we are taking the enormous and heartbreaking step of divorce." As she shared her news, Jewel also thanked her fans for supporting her throughout her career -- flaws and all. "I am forever grateful for the acceptance and compassion I found in my fan base as I shared my deepest hurts and shames along side my moments of inspiration and truth," the singer says. "I have learned in these 20 years of living my life honestly in front of you to trust that you will all honor and have reverence for how difficult this journey is, and allow us our process as we not only grieve the loss of our marriage, but also as we recreate ourselves in the ashes." While Jewel did most of the talking in the lengthy update, she and her husband did give a joint statement as well: . "Our dedication to our son is unwavering and we are both committed to being the best partners in raising our son," the couple say. "Due to the spirit in which we have gone about this separation, we trust we can remain dear friends who hold each other in high esteem, which is so important to us as parents, as we wish only what is best for our son." | Jewel shares that she and husband Ty Murray are divorcing .
The couple married in 2008 and have one son .
They say they hold no animosity toward one another . |
278,537 | f4ceec978eafb45e283f0938b889051da338a74c | By . James Chapman . Senior Liberal Democrats are plotting a second coalition with the Conservatives even if Labour wins more Commons seats in next year’s general election. Several senior figures insist the party should negotiate a second power-sharing deal with the Tories, predicting they are likely to win more votes even if Labour gains more Westminster constituencies. They argue voters would take a dim view of the Lib Dems if they jump straight from five years of coalition with the Conservatives into a deal with Ed Miliband’s party. Liberal Democrats are plotting a second coalition with the Conservatives even if Labour wins more Commons seats because they believe immediately switching to Ed Miliband's party would be condemned as 'utterly cynical' by many voters . One Lib . Dem minister said that the move would be seen as ‘utterly cynical’ by . many voters and mean probable ‘annihilation’ for the party in the 2020 . general election. With most polls pointing to another hung Parliament, the minister suggested the Lib Dems could enter coalition again with the Tories even if they gained fewer seats than Labour. Another senior MP said there was a strong possibility that the Tories could gain more votes than Labour, but fewer seats, while Ukip could gain more votes than the Lib Dems, but no seats. While a Lib-Lab coalition would be . possible in those circumstances, it would lack ‘democratic legitimacy’ in the eyes of many people, the MP said. Nick Clegg has said the Lib Dems will take their cue from the electorate in the event of another hung Parliament . Nick Clegg has said the Lib Dems will take their cue from the electorate in the event of another hung Parliament, but has been careful to leave his options open by not specifying whether that means he will talk first to the party which gains more seats or more votes. Electoral forecasters say there is a good chance that the Conservatives will pile up more votes than Labour, but end up with fewer seats, in the general election due to take place in nine months’ time. In 2010, David Cameron’s party got 10.7 million votes but won 307 seats, leaving them short of a Commons majority. Under Tony Blair in 2005, Labour only gained 9.5 million votes but won 413 seats, giving the party a comfortable majority. This is because the average Labour seat is much smaller than the typical Conservative one. The coalition agreed to redrawn the boundaries of Commons constituencies to make general elections fairer, while saving taxpayers large sums by cutting the number of MPs by 50. But when Tory backbenchers conspired with Labour to block plans to introduce a limited degree of democracy to the House of Lords, a key Lib Dem proposal, Mr Clegg responded by killing off the boundary changes. That means the Conservatives will fight next year’s election with a significant inbuilt disadvantage, with pollsters estimating that they need to be at least six points ahead of Labour to hope for a small majority. In 2010, David Cameron's party got 10.7 million votes but won 307 seats, leaving them short of a Commons majority, whereas under Tony Blair the party won 413 seats . Although the Lib Dems are flatlining in terms of national opinion polls, most pollsters believe they have every chance of hanging onto enough seats to hold the balance of power once more. The private pressure for another Lib-Con coalition next year flies in the face of the public arguments of many senior Lib Dems. Earlier this week, Energy Secretary Ed Davey, who is on the right of his party, said he believes Labour will be the largest party after 2015 and that the Lib Dems were likely to enter power-sharing talks with them. Labour and the Lib Dems have also quietly aligned policy pledges in more than a dozen areas, apparently in readiness for a potential power-sharing deal after next year’s general election. These include cutting pensioner benefits, scrapping Tory tax breaks for marriage, new green taxes, reducing the voting age to 16 and a new mansion tax on expensive homes. | Lib Dems argue voters would take dim view if they switched after five years .
And would mean probable 'annihilation' for them at 2020 general elections .
Most polls are pointing towards another hung parliament . |
94,544 | 058319ee74b225a1751631467fd249b843671390 | Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian protesters are vowing to continue their anti-government demonstrations into Wednesday night, despite violent crackdowns and arrests. Witnesses in Tehran tell CNN the demonstrators number in the tens of thousands. The protests are timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy. Iran celebrates the embassy takeover as an official holiday, and tens of thousands showed up to hear anti-American speeches in front of the building that once housed the U.S. diplomatic corps. Many chanted "Death to America." The anniversary was also an opportunity to reignite the anti-government protests that were sparked in June, following a disputed presidential election. Thousands of protesters ignored warnings from Iranian authorities to stay home, many chanting "Death to the Dictator" and others saying, "Obama - Either you're with us or with them," referring to the U.S. president. Riot police and pro-government Basij militia turned out in force to quash anti-government protests. "We were running from the police in the alleys off of the main streets," said Soheil, an opposition protester, who gave only one name for security reasons. "Strangers were opening up their garages so we could hide until the police went away. I ran into a garage for about 15 minutes. When I went back into the main street, I saw riot police arresting a group of young men, then putting them inside a bank and locking the door. "Only God knows what will happen to them after that." iReport: Iranians take to the streets . Soheil, like many other of the demonstrators, took part in the protests this summer. As with previous demonstrations, many images of Wednesday's protest were uploaded to the Internet on the site YouTube.com -- including video of protesters walking over an image of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Another clip showed a group of women being beaten by what appeared to be Iranian security forces. Witnesses said many Iranian women took part in Wednesday's demonstration, and were frequently targeted by the Iranian security forces -- which is what also happened during the summer protests. Video posted on YouTube showed many protesters beaten on the head with batons. Iranian reformists have chosen key anniversaries to protest the hardline government -- the same anniversaries chosen for government-sanctioned anti-American rallies. Wednesday's was the biggest annual anti-American observance of all. On November 4, 1979, Islamic students stormed the U.S. Embassy. They held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. There were also small pockets of protest on Wednesday in the southwest Iran city of Shiraz, according to a resident who witnessed the protests. Demonstrators marched down the main street of Shiraz, yelling "Death to the dictator" and "We will not stand down to you, together we are united," according to Najmeh, who only gave her first name for security reasons. There was strong police presence on the streets, and the police force seemed much more organized than past occasions, she said. Earlier in the day, opposition supporters marched defiantly in Tehran's Haft-e-Tir Square, witnesses said. Many held up their hands in V-signs. Others shouted "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," which has become a slogan of protest. Police blocked all roads leading to the square, creating massive traffic jams. Witnesses described helmet-clad security personnel beating demonstrators with batons and firing tear gas at Haft-e-Tir Square and in a neighborhood a few kilometers north. "I had never seen that many riot police and security personnel," a witness told CNN. "They were brought in by the busloads. As soon as crowds gathered somewhere, riot police were there within minutes." The opposition showed Wednesday that even after five months of government crackdown, people were still willing to take risks. The disputed June 12 presidential election triggered Iran's most serious political crisis since the Islamic revolution toppled the shah. Led by opposition candidate Mir Houssein Moussavi, thousands of Iranians protested what they believed was a rigged vote that returned hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to office for a second term. In the election aftermath, the Iranian government arrested more than 1,000 people and accused reformists Moussavi and Mehdi Karrubi of spreading anti-government propaganda and fueling anger among the public. But despite warnings from the government, Iran's reformists have largely refused to back down. They released the names of 72 protesters they say were killed in the unrest that followed the election -- more than double the government's official number. Both Moussavi and Karrubi were prevented from attending Wednesday's rallies, according to a reformist Web site, Norooz News. Karrubi's son told the Web site that his father tried to reach the Haft-e-Tir Square rally on foot, but he was blocked by anti-riot police, sparking clashes with his followers. Police fired tear gas toward Karrubi, hitting one of his guards on the head, and causing Karrubi and some of his supporters to fall to the ground, according to Norooz News. Karrubi and his followers returned to their vehicles and drove away when, at one point, security forces attacked and damaged Karrubi's vehicle, the Web site said. Video posted on YouTube showed Karrubi briefly opening his car door to a crowd of cheering supporters, who chanted, "Honorable Karrubi, help the people of Iran." Iranian authorities had warned Karrubi to not participate in the marches, saying he might be the victim of a suicide attack, according to Norooz News. Moussavi was unable to join the demonstration after his car was prevented from leaving his office, according to his Facebook page and a report on a reformist Web site. Cell phone and Internet connections were cut in the area where his office is located, and dozens of plainclothes motorcycle riders blocked the entrance and chanted slogans against Moussavi, the Web sites said. Read analysis from Hamid Dabashi, author of "Iran: A People Interrupted" In Washington, President Obama said the world continues to bear witness to the Iranian people's "calls for justice and their courageous pursuit of universal rights." "Iran must choose," he said in a statement late Tuesday. "We have heard for thirty years what the Iranian government is against; the question, now, is what kind of future it is for. "It is time for the Iranian government to decide whether it wants to focus on the past, or whether it will make the choices that will open the door to greater opportunity, prosperity, and justice for its people," he said. Obama noted how the embassy takeover reshaped U.S.-Iranian relations. "This event helped set the United States and Iran on a path of sustained suspicion, mistrust, and confrontation," he said. "I have made it clear that the United States of America wants to move beyond this past, and seeks a relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran based upon mutual interests and mutual respect." Obama said America has demonstrated willingness to work with Iran over nuclear issues by recognizing its right to peaceful nuclear power and accepting a recent proposal by the watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency. "We have made clear that if Iran lives up to the obligations that every nation has, it will have a path to a more prosperous and productive relationship with the international community," Obama said. CNN's Reza Sayah, Sara Mazloumsaki, Mitra Mobasherat, and journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report. | NEW: Reformist leaders stopped from attending anti-government rallies, Web site says .
Marchers gather in Tehran on 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover .
Anti-American rallies mark 1979 hostage-taking after students stormed embassy .
Protests by reformists followed disputed June presidential election . |
60,369 | ab9da9f76d70da6a7be636235318523b6ce24b03 | Former Israeli foreign minister and opposition leader Tzipi Livni submitted her resignation from the Knesset Tuesday. Speaking to reporters outside the parliament, Livni said, "My principles and values obligate (me) to leave the party of Kadima in the Knesset. I always said the seat was not everything. I am leaving at this stage but I am not retiring from public life" Livni, who served as the head of the centrists Kadima Party, was defeated in a party leadership preliminary last month, losing to her party deputy and former Israel Defense Forces chief Shaul Mofaz, who took 62% of the votes to Livni's 38%. The resignation adds another variable in Israel's quickly evolving political landscape. Earlier this week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that he was likely to seek early elections. Some of his Likud Party officials predicted that the vote might be scheduled as early as September. Livni was a vocal and high-profile but largely ineffective opposition figure to Netanyahu's rightist coalition. In her remarks, Livni took Netanyahu's government to task for not putting enough effort into making peace with the Palestinians. "For many years our leadership has been burying its head in the sand dealing with political tricks" she charged. "During this time the threats to Israel have only become greater ... In order to know this we don't the need evaluation of the head of the Shin Bet," she said in an indirect reference to recent criticism the former head of Israel's internal security lodged toward the current government's foreign policy. Livni also lambasted the Netanyahu government for not doing more to enhance Israel's global standing. "Israel lives on the top of a volcano and the international clock is ticking," she warned, saying the existence of democracy in the Jewish state is under "a great threat" Livni, 53, gained international prominence in 2009 as foreign minister under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. She and Defense Minister Ehud Barak spearheaded Operation Cast Lead, Israel's extensive military offense in Gaza. She also played a major role in helping end Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. | Tzipi Livni leaves the Knesset after losing her party leadership position last month .
She says the government isn't putting enough effort into making peace with the Palestinians .
"Israel lives on the top of a volcano and the international clock is ticking," she says . |
61,452 | ae8c3c01dd5a28bc3a41de2392b2f18b1d829f7c | By . Kathryn Knight . Marvin Swash is mad about sex. ‘He’s got it on the brain,’ confides his mum, Mary. ‘I don’t imagine he thinks about much else.’ Now, hormonal males aren’t always the easiest of charges. Yet Mary seems thrilled about Marvin’s voracious sexual appetite. For a fascination about the birds and bees is something of a prerequisite in his line of work. Marvin is Britain’s top stud dog, and has been crowned so for two years running. An Airedale terrier and show dog with a host of trophies to his name, his puppies cost up to £1,000 each — which is why Airedale females (or more pertinently, their owners) are queuing up to meet him. Marvin’s rough golden-brown fur, long, majestic features and wise brown eyes make him look more like a cuddly teddy than a sex machine, but he’s been breeding for six years — and has more than 100 puppies across the globe to prove it. As Mary Swash puts it: ‘Marvin doesn’t travel. He doesn’t need to.’ The top stud dog in Britain: Marvin's rough golden-brown fur, long, majestic features and wise brown eyes make him look more like a cuddly teddy than a sex machine, but he's been breeding for six years . The bitches’ owners happily shell out . £800-a-time for the privilege. But who can blame them? The puppies are . impossibly cute, with those same soulful eyes and fluffy fur, as Mary . demonstrates, leafing through a photo album. When Marvin isn’t ‘performing’, he spends his time in languid comfort, being groomed, fed and walked at Mary’s three-acre farm in Hampshire. Some walks are conducted on the marvellously named ‘Jog A Dog’ treadmill. ‘We don’t use it very often,’ says Mary. ‘But if it’s tipping it down outside, it’s sometimes easier.’ Mary, a genial 78-year-old, has dedicated much of her life to raising Airedales and is one of Britain’s best-known breeders. She currently presides over ten — including Marvin — housed in pristine kennels behind her family home. Much of the rest of her land is given over to long grassy runs, enclosed by wooden fences, in which the excitable terriers can let off steam. Orphaned by the age of five (her father died in an electrical accident, her mother of ovarian cancer), Mary was raised by a family friend in West London, where she went to sleep every night under a framed picture of a wire-fox terrier. ‘I don’t know why it was there but I just fell in love with it,’ she recalls. So much so that her first job after leaving school was as a kennel maid. Three years later she began working for a professional dog handler, who introduced her to her first Airedale. ‘He was called Ernie and that was it really,’ recalls Mary. ‘I adored him.’ A dog's life: Marvin lives with his owner Mary on her three-acre Hampshire farm . By the early Eighties, Mary was married to husband Alan, now 84 and a former buildings manager. They have a son, John, 51, who is a partner in the kennels. Mary says: ‘I like the Airedales’ looks and temperament. They are enormously loving but independent. If you want a boring dog, don’t get an Airedale. If you don’t, prepare for them to get into your heart. They’re very special.’ Of course, Marvin is the most special of all — he was crowned top stud dog by World Dog Magazine, which is the go-to source for breeders. Even at the relatively advanced age of eight, he continues to win awards. He was named best veteran at this year’s Crufts, where he competed under his competition name ‘Jokyl Captain Scarlet’. However, these awards are hard work. I arrive to find Marvin on the grooming table, submitting to his daily ablutions — a complex affair involving coat-conditioning spray, deodorising spray and an array of clippers, scissors and brushes. ‘He likes all the fuss, although sometimes he gets a little bored,’ Mary confides. She keeps him in place via a collar connected to the ceiling by a chain — necessary, Mary says, for when he tries to wriggle off the table. Marvin is descended from a line of champions going back decades, including the wonderfully named Jokyl Gallipants — Crufts’ top dog in all breeds in 1983. Marvin’s father was an American showdog called Captain Greenfield Fantastic — known as Cappy. ‘He had a lot of charisma,’ says Mary. ‘And Marvin’s got that from him. But Marvin’s also a gentle sort, very patient. He’s not cocky but has a good opinion of himself. ‘He knows he’s special. He likes to be first out and first back in when we let the dogs out. If you leave another dog’s kennel open, he’ll nip in and quickly steal something. He has a kind of swagger while being very loving. It’s a nice combination.’ For all his lineage, Mary acknowledges that you can never know if a dog is stud material until it starts producing litters at around the age of two. ‘The proof is in the pudding,’ she says. Marvin’s litters are not only of good quality but prolific — the average Airedale litter is eight, while his is 12. Competitive world: Marvin has excelled at shows like Crufts (pictured) which attract the very best of canines . However, he won’t hook up with just anyone. Prospective mates must have what Mary terms ‘the right credentials’, which mostly come down to a substantial pedigree, clean bill of health and nice demeanour. Good hips are vital too, as Airedales are prone to dodgy ones. So the bitches are X-rayed and the results sent the British Veterinary Association for analysis. Those who pass muster include dogs who’ve travelled from Holland and Norway. Mary has twice sent Marvin’s sperm through the post, although she’s less keen on this arrangement. ‘It’s quite a lot of fuss and expensive, as you have to have it extracted at the vet and then sort out carriage,’ she explains. ‘Obviously, the other people are paying, and I don’t rule it out if the circumstances demand it.’ It’s not as if the mating ritual itself is romantic: Marvin and his lady friend are placed in his grooming room (‘we move the tables back to give them a bit of space’) and left to get on with it, albeit under Mary’s supervising gaze in case they ‘tie’ — in other words, get stuck and need detangling. Adorable: One of Marvin's £1,000 puppies . Marvin has never refused a bitch, although the ladies sometimes need a little more encouragement. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes, then Marvin trots back into his kennel. Mary says: ‘You could probably go on the internet and find someone offering breeding for £400, but you pay for quality don’t you? I’m an assured breeder — we do it properly — and you know the bloodline.’ Then there’s the immense hard work that goes into a rearing a litter. ‘If you want to do it properly, it’s really tough work just to get them to eight weeks, which is the time you would give them away.’ And there are the shows to gain those all-important certificates, which take up many days a year and cost thousands of pounds. It all sounds rather gruelling, certainly for someone not far off her 80s. But Mary is at her kennels at 7.30am each day until well after 5pm for non-stop round of grooming, trimming, feeding and walking. At 9pm, the dogs have to be let out again for a final run around the paddock. What does her long-suffering husband make of it all? Although he is relatively detached from the day-to-day business of looking after the dogs, he knows his place in the pecking order, confiding that Mary would ‘sooner be rid of me than the dogs’. But Mary accepts the need for compromise: she wants a couple of dogs in the house but Alan’s put his foot down. ‘Given I spend all day in the kennels, he wants to have a bit of me to himself,’ she says. Among her ten-strong crew are four of Marvin’s offspring: Hattie, Bonnie, Star and Boris — all award-winners. Boris is an adorable seven-month-old bundle of energy, named after Boris Johnson because of the blonde tufts he sported on his face at birth. Under his competition name of Jokyl The Party Line, he garlanded best puppy at the Southern Counties Championship this year. Mary has high hopes for him as heir to his father’s stud-dog title. But that’s not to say there isn’t life in the old dog yet. Marvin’s show career may be winding down, but Mary believes he has a couple more years left as a stud — Airedales can still be fertile at 11. She even had his sperm tested earlier this year. ‘It was very good and very strong,’ she boasts. ‘Good food, good exercise and lots of TLC, that’s the secret’, she says, ruffling an appreciative Marvin’s head. | Marvin Swash is an Airedale terrier show dog with a host of trophies .
He lives in languid comfort on owner Mary's three-acre farm in Hampshire .
Marvin's puppies cost up to £1,000 each - making him a hit with the ladies . |
60,445 | abd396ef23ae2ba832dc2089b67fcde331c42552 | Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- South Korea conducted its largest-ever nationwide civil defense drill Wednesday afternoon to prepare the public for a potential military attack from North Korea after Pyongyang shelled a South Korean island less than a month ago. "After the bombing, we believed it was important for the public to know where to take shelter since the South is within five-minute-distance from a North Korean air raid," Kim Kwang-hee, the director of civil defense said. The drill involved 12 fighter jets which flew over the airs of Seoul and the country to mock an enemy air drill. More than 250,000 public workers helped civilians take shelter in underground facilities and subway stations, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Traffic was stopped all across the country, and students were escorted out of school buildings into underground locations. Office workers were asked to move into basement parking lots for cover. Civil defense drills take place on a regular basis and in the past have been ignored by many. However, the threat of war is felt at a greater degree after North Korea shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in November which resulted in the death of four people. "We actually don't participate very well, because nothing happened between North Korea and South Korea. But recently it has happened, so it's very serious for us to think about these kinds of events," said Chung Woo-sub, a university student. South Korea plans on boosting its underground shelter facilities along the border regions and in the island areas in the Yellow Sea where the island attack occurred, according to NEMA. Also the Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that it has nominated Gen. Kim Sang-ki, commander of the Third Army, for the newly vacated post of South Korea's Army chief, Yonhap news agency reported. Gen. Hwang Eui-don, the former chief of the Army, resigned this week after being accused of using insider information to make money off of a property investment, Yonhap reported . | The drill starts Wednesday afternoon .
The drill comes as tensions have ratcheted up on the Korean peninsula .
South Korea also appointed a new Army chief . |
87,549 | f8667f770e36fb84659410338ea6f6a26ff01376 | Washington (CNN) -- Ten years ago in September, rescue workers began inhaling a toxic mix of airborne debris that curled out of the World Trade Center's mangle of steel, re-bar and concrete, coating in white the clothes and at times the lungs of emergency responders who worked at ground zero. Thousands descended on New York and Washington in 2001 in a desperate attempt to help those who had perished, or would soon die, after a series of coordinated attacks rocked the nation and redefined its security mandate. But news of the death of Osama bin Laden -- al Qaeda's figurehead killed during a gun battle in Pakistan -- offered Americans a happier reason to gasp. "It's wild," said Tyler Smith, wiping away his swelling tears as he held a cigarette that trembled between his fingertips. He was at the White House celebration. "It's just very intense." The young veteran -- who served in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005 -- then grabbed his baseball cap, pulling it down to shield his watering eyes from view. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just don't have the words." Americans celebrated early Monday in a show of patriotism against the man who committed much of his life to attacking U.S. citizens and others. In front of the White House, chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" filled the night air, and the group spontaneously broke into an off-key rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Other revelers hearkened back to the turmoil of that fateful blue-sky day in September. "I was in D.C. during 9/11," said 33-year-old Mason Wright, recalling his days as a student at American University in Washington, D.C. From his apartment, Wright said he watched television images of the second hijacked plane as it plunged into the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. "It's hard to believe 10 years later it's over ... It's finally come to an end." Dustin Swensson, who recently served in Iraq, echoed those comments, calling the news "historic." Alan Comar, a 29-year-old resident of Washington who worked as a U.S. contractor in Afghanistan, clutched his girlfriend as they gazed across the red, white and blue crowd. "Its one of those 'got-to-be-there' moments," he said. The mood was much more somber at the Pentagon memorial a few miles away, where 184 people died when a hijacked American Airlines Flight crashed on September 11, 2001. "Everyone was at the White House celebrating, and hardly anyone was at the memorial," said Jessica McFarland of Arlington, Virginia. "I felt like this site put things in perspective." Meanwhile, teenagers, scarcely old enough to remember the near decade-old attacks, dashed toward the White House gates, eager to join the swelling throng of American revelers. "It's something that defines a generation," said Ashley Cummings, a Michigan resident visiting Washington. "They're not going to pull out immediately," she said, referring to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. "There's still a lot of work to be done, but this affirms that they were over there for a reason." Her comment echoes a question likely to be raised in the coming weeks and months over the ways in which an American-led war in Afghanistan can continue without the specter of the Qaeda leader. "It's a war that I feel we just won," said one former New York firefighter -- who says he was forced to retire due to lung ailments suffered from dust at ground zero -- the site where the World Trade Center's twin towers once stood. Private moments of reflection were happening, too, as loved ones of those killed in the September 11 attacks quietly marked bin Laden's death. Patricia Sliwak-Grinberg said she cried when President Barack Obama began to describe the September 11 attacks as he delivered news of his death. Her brother, Robert Sliwak, was a Cantor-Fitzgerald employee who died in the World Trade Center. In New York, strains of "God Bless America" could be heard intermittently trickling through the crowd. The area, once a barren and bitterly contested site, has since given way to the beginnings of construction for a long awaited "Freedom Tower," or the 1 World Trade Center. In another sign of the evolving times, a neighborhood Burger King that medics once converted to a makeshift trauma center following the attacks, now houses a younger fast-food staff mostly unfamiliar with the restaurant's storied past. "A lot of retired cops still come here and talk about it," said Joshua Nash, a 22 year-old employee from Bronx, New York. During the ensuing rescue effort, EMTs treated victims atop dinning tables at the Home of the Whopper, while draping intravenous drips across wall lamps. "Do you want to know what I really think?," asked Nash. "I think a lot of the people around here yelling and celebrating were just looking for an excuse to get drunk and yell." "They don't know what this is about." His words seem to capture an unease with celebrating death that other New Yorkers quietly reflected. Some just seemed relieved to close the final chapter of bin Laden's life. Carie Lemack, whose mother, Judy, was killed on American Airlines Flight 11, said she can't "express how this feels to my family. "Relief is one word." Jim Riches, who lost his firefighter son, Jimmy, when the World Trade Center's north tower collapsed, said the news offered a bit of comfort. "(My) son still isn't coming home," he said. "(There's) no closure, but at last, at least some justice for the murder of 3,000 Americans, finally." Elsewhere in New York, police cordoned off stretches of Manhattan's Financial District where crowds had gathered in celebrations through the night. September 11 has since served as a galvanizing symbol of American patriotism and its willingness to doggedly -- and at times controversially -- pursue enemies across borders. But it remains unclear whether decapitating al Qaeda's infamous figurehead will mark a turning point in a war that has left thousands of Americans dead and killed untold numbers of civilians. In July, NATO offered further support for Afghan President Hamid Karzai's objective of taking on greater responsibility for the country's security by 2014. Analysts, however, remain skeptical, citing corruption and patronage networks that they say enjoy a degree of political protection. Meanwhile, Sunday's news comes just a single day after a Taliban announcement of a renewed offensive against allied troops and Afghan security forces in the region. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Emanuella Grinberg, Christina Zdanowicz and Nicole Saidi contributed to this report. | Celebrations break out in Washington and New York, and on college campuses nationwide .
A firefighter's father says he's gratified, but bin Laden's death won't bring back his son .
A retired New York police officer says bin Laden's death gives him a sense of closure .
Mood is sober at Pentagon memorial . |
74,377 | d2e1a18e3fef5b40346ba966c20fb82dfc80d378 | Washington (CNN) -- An undercover investigation by the Federal Trade Commission found funeral homes nationwide deceived customers into making purchases they weren't required to make and failed to give up-front pricing to customers. Undercover FTC agents posing as customers found "significant violations" in 23 of the 102 funeral homes investigated, according to the FTC. Operators violated key provisions of the "Funeral Rule," a 1984 regulation the FTC put in place to prevent funeral home operators from forcing customers to buy caskets or any other item as a condition of paying for a funeral. Another provision of the rule requires funeral homes to provide an itemized price list during the first in-person funeral arrangement meeting. Nationally, Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia had the highest number of funeral homes found with significant violations, according to the FTC's report. Eight of the 19 funeral homes investigated in the two cities committed significant violations. Columbia, South Carolina, was next with five significant violations out of 10 funeral homes inspected. Thirty-three funeral homes had what the FTC called minor compliance issues. In those cases, the FTC contacted the funeral homes and required proof they were addressing violations. The FTC gives funeral homes an opportunity to right their wrongs before they're hauled into court. A three-year program run by the National Funeral Directors Association gives participants extra training and additional compliance monitoring. Funeral homes that participate are allowed to make a payment to the U.S. Treasury in place of a civil penalty. Civil penalties can be up to $16,000 per violation, according to the FTC. Jessica Koth of the National Funeral Directors Association says the "NFDA takes compliance with the Funeral Rule seriously." Koth says the organization encourages members to meet all obligations. Since the annual undercover stings began in 1996, the FTC said investigators have found fewer than 400 funeral homes with significant violations. There are 19,680 funeral homes in the United States, according to the NFDA. FTC inspections during 2011 encountered varying levels of compliance: . -- In northwestern Indiana, one of 12 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; . -- In Maui, Hawaii, none of the four funeral homes inspected had significant violations; . -- In the New York City area, as well as parts of Connecticut and New Jersey, one of 22 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; . -- In Cleveland, four of 16 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; . -- In Columbia, South Carolina, five significant violations were found in 10 funeral homes inspected; . -- In Austin, Texas, four of 19 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; . -- In Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, eight of 19 funeral homes inspected had significant violations. | 'Significant violations' found in 23 of 102 funeral homes investigated .
Some forced customers into buying caskets as a condition of paying for a funeral .
Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, had the highest number of offenders .
Five of 10 funeral homes in Columbia, South Carolina, had significant violations . |
141,074 | 4268b812d1f602166c0d8059ec4020113a01dfae | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:35 EST, 12 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:40 EST, 12 May 2013 . Be wary: Chris suffers from rickets due to a vitamin D deficiency and mother Suzi thinks it was caused by high-factor sunscreen . Chris Head’s mother Suzi believed she was doing her best for her sports-mad young son by smothering him in factor 50 sunscreen every time he went out to play. But it meant that the football and cricket-loving youngster had very little exposure to direct sunlight – our main source of vitamin D – despite spending most of his days in the garden. Now Mrs Head has been told her six-year-old son has got rickets, the bone-softening disease caused by a lack of vitamin D, with the high factor sun cream thought to be to blame. The disease, a scourge of Victorian Britain, was virtually eradicated after the Second World War but is returning in children due partly to lack of outdoor play and to diets low in oily fish, eggs, liver and other foods rich in vitamin D. However some experts also blame the over-zealous application of sun cream by parents anxious about skin cancer. Vitamin D – known as the sunshine vitamin – is made when the body is exposed to sunlight. Chris first developed joint pain when he was three and would wake up during the night screaming in pain. ‘It would take me hours to settle him and I was constantly having to give him Calpol and ibuprofen,’ said Mrs Head, 43, of Lutterworth, Leicestershire. ‘I would be back and forth to the doctors every couple of months for about two years trying to get a diagnosis, but I was always told that it was probably growing pains.’ It was only when Chris started school that he was referred to a paediatrician who diagnosed serious vitamin D deficiency and rickets. Mrs Head, a mother of two who had to give up her work as a teacher due to ill health, said: ‘I was really shocked when we got the diagnosis. Chris has a balanced diet and plays outside all the time. ‘The doctor told us that the sun was the main source of vitamin D but that using a higher factor sunscreen could stop your body from generating it. Rickets is back: Mother Suzi always thought she was doing right by protecting her son Chris from the sun . ‘After we got home I did some research about rickets and found that Chris had every symptom. Since then I’ve met other mums with children suffering from a similar thing. 'You’re told that the sun is dangerous and you think that by buying the highest factor sunscreen you’re protecting your family, when that isn’t necessarily the case. ‘Now I tend to leave the sunscreen unless Chris is going to be in strong sun all day. ‘I make sure that he goes outside for short bursts of time early in the day or in the evening so he gets his vitamin D without burning.’ Chris is being treated with vitamin D drops and it is hoped that this will eventually remove all symptoms of rickets. But he is still experiencing pain in his bones, so his mother fears that some of the damage may be permanent. Leading paediatric surgeon Professor Nick Clarke said: ‘Practically the only available source of vitamin D is from sunshine. ‘Most children don’t like oily fish and that is practically the only food which contains high levels of it. If you’re protecting against the sun by using a factor 50 sunscreen you will not generate any vitamin D. ‘There is a growing problem because children are outside much less than they used to be. They are texting each other instead of playing outside and parents often drive them to and from school. They are outdoors less than ever before. ‘This can have important consequences for adult life and we are now linking vitamin D deficiency to multiple sclerosis.’ Playing out: Six-year-old Chris now has to make sure his Vitamin D levels are maintained, which means taking in some of the sun when he can . | Chris Head had very little exposure to sunlight when playing out .
But this led to him missing out on a vital source of vitamin D .
He wakes up at night in pain, suffering from the bone softening disease rickets . |
285,729 | fe408b6f0055bbac6706c36c0f01f375a193b5cc | (CNN) -- Occupy London protesters who have been camped outside the landmark St. Paul's Cathedral for the past four months lost their court bid to avoid eviction Wednesday in a decision made by London's Court of Appeal. Last month, the High Court ruled in favor of the City of London Corporation, the body that runs London's financial district, which applied for an eviction order after the protesters failed to abide by a previous order to pack up the camp. The Occupy London group then filed an appeal against the ruling at the Court of Appeal. Wednesday, the three judges of the court refused them the permission to appeal. Michael Paget, the lawyer representing the Occupy London group, said the group doesn't intend to file another legal challenge. "The occupy message has been heard and will continue to be heard. It has made a difference and will continue to make a difference." The activists, who set up camp outside the cathedral October 15, had been protesting against corporate greed and economic inequality. Many of the tents set up by the Occupy activists around St. Paul's are on what the corporation designates as a public road. St. Paul's suspended its own legal action against the activists in November, after a number of senior cathedral figures resigned over the threat to evict them. "Peaceful protest is a democratic right but the camp is clearly in breach of highway and planning law," said Stuart Fraser, policy chairman for the City of London Corporation." I would call on protesters to comply with the decision of the courts and remove their tents and equipment voluntarily right away." | Last month, the High Court ruled in favor of the group that wanted to evict .
The Occupy London group then filed an appeal .
The three judges of the court refused them the permission to appeal . |
42,731 | 787b8c626ff46b0d07300d4efe7e8cdb3ca32e48 | By . Sarah Griffiths . Twitter might be best known as the place to go for day-to-day updates about people’s lives and celebrity selfies, but it could also be used as a health tool, researchers claim. Geography experts have discovered that posts on the social network predicted flu outbreaks in different parts of the U.S. They believe Twitter could help medical professionals learn where and when severe flu outbreaks are occurring in real time so they can prepare for busy periods, which typically occur during the winter months. Whenever people tweeted the keywords 'flu' or 'influenza,' the computer programme recorded characteristics about the tweets, including the username and location of the people who sent them . The researchers, led by San Diego State University geography professor Ming-Hsiang Tsou, examined tweets that originated from a 17 mile radius of 11 different U.S. cities between June and December 2012. Whenever people tweeted the keywords ‘flu’ or ‘influenza,’ a computer programme recorded characteristics about the tweets, including the username and location of the people who sent them as well as whether they were original tweets or retweets and whether they linked to a website. From June 2012 to the beginning of December, the algorithm recorded 161,821 tweets containing the word ‘flu’ and 6,174 containing ‘influenza’. The researchers compared the location data of those tweets to data on the flu virus rates recorded in the relevant cities and counties. They discovered that of the 11 cities where tweets were examined, there was a ‘significant’ correlation between tweets about flu and the rates of flu-like illnesses in nine of the cities. Geography experts believe Twitter could help medical professionals learn where and when severe flu outbreaks are occurring in real time so they can prepare for busy periods, which typically occur during the winter months . Twitter also seemed to be able to predict outbreaks in five of the cities: San Diego, Denver, Jacksonville, Fort Worth and Seattle, as the tweets recorded instances of illness before they were officially documented and reported by cities and counties. ‘Traditional procedures take at least two weeks to detect an outbreak. With our method, we're detecting daily,’ he said. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention defines flu season as the period from October through May, usually peaking around February, but the unpredictability of when and where outbreaks may occur makes it difficult for hospitals and regional health centres to prepare. Professor Tsou believes his technique could allow officials to more quickly and efficiently direct resources to outbreak zones and better contain the spread of the disease. A busy hospital waiting room is pictured . There is about a two week lag in the time it takes for hospitals to notice a sharp rise in flu patients and the U.S. centre issuing a warning. The researchers found original tweets and . tweets without website links proved more predictive than retweets or . those that did include links, possibly because original tweets are more . likely to reflect individuals posting about their own symptoms. Professor Tsou believes his technique, which is detailed in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, could allow officials to more quickly and efficiently direct resources to outbreak zones and better contain the spread of the disease. ‘There is the potential to use social media to really improve the way we monitor the flu and other public health concerns,’ he said. Professor Tsou is not on his own in thinking social media could be used as a powerful predictive medical tool. In 2011, scientists from Pennsylvania State University used Twitter to track attitudes towards the flu vaccination and labelled them as being positive, neutral or negative. Another study found 46 per cent of office workers and 56 per cent of senior business people blame employees who 'soldier on' for spreading workplace germs . U.S. mobile conferencing company Citrix has also built a microsite to track tweets about flu to examine how it affects workplaces. It said ‘lurgy’ is the highest flu-related hashtag on Twitter, according to a UK study it commissioned by YouGov and that ‘office martyrs’ are the top cause of widespread illness in offices. The survey found 46 per cent of office workers and 56 per cent of senior business people blame employees who ‘soldier on’ for spreading workplace germs. Around a quarter of UK office works said their colleagues do not take time off when they are ill as they worry about their workload, while just over half of workers agree the office would be more productive if ill colleagues stayed at home. | Geography experts believe Twitter could help medical professionals learn where and when severe flu outbreaks are occurring in real time .
San Diego State University researchers recorded 161,821 tweets containing the word ‘flu’ and 6,174 containing ‘influenza’ for their study .
They discovered that nine out of 11 cities studied showed a ‘significant’ correlation .
between tweets about flu and the rates of flu-like illnesses . |
148,875 | 4c839db10e076b7c1cf1058913bb57b487d29896 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:10 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:05 EST, 24 July 2013 . A man floating on a tube down a Montana river was badly injured when another man leaped off a bridge and landed in his lap. Andy Hill was having a leisurely outing with his wife Amy in East Missoula when a grown man crashed into him from above, breaking his left femur, chipping both calf bones, and tearing ligaments in both knees. Hill is now wheelchair bound for months to come and the man who landed on him could face criminal charges. 'There was a guy on my lap': A man jumped from a bridge just as Andy Hill (pictured) floated by on the river below, breaking both Hill's legs . Leisurely day: Hill was on the Clark Fork River in East Missoula, Montana, a popular tubing spot . ‘There was a guy on my lap,’ Hill, a social worker, explained to KECI from his wheelchair. Hill and his wife were doing what many people do on the Clark Fork River, a common spot for floating, as they drifted along tethered together. But as they went under the Bandmann Bridge on Sunday, something decidedly uncommon happened. 'Suddenly I had intense pain': Hill was new to tubing as he floated along, tethered to his wife Amy on Sunday . 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry': A sign on the Bandmann Bridge clearly reads 'no jumping,' now Hill and the man who did so anyway know why. 'He kept apologizing' said Hill . Shattered: Now Hill will spend the rest of the summer in a wheelchair and on crutches as his cracked femur, calf bones, and knee ligaments heal . ‘Suddenly I had intense pain and I was under water,’ said Hill. ‘Somebody had jumped off the bridge and landed on me.’ Fishabilities: Hill is upbeat in spite of his injuries. The social worker works with disabled people regularly and is now experiencing it personally. The avid fisherman also has a non-profit aimed at teaching the disabled to fish called Fishabilities . As . silly as the accident sounds, Hill is in terrible pain and can barely . use crutches to get around, so he mostly stays in his wheelchair. ‘He rolled off my lap and he just kept apologizing, ”I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.”’ Police are now investigating the incident, which occurred where county signage clearly reads ‘Loitering on, fishing, diving, or jumping from bridge prohibited.’ Though authorities say the jumper may have received injuries as well, he now faces potential criminal endangerment charges. Meanwhile, Hill is trying to stay upbeat in the face of such an absurd injury. ‘Who does this happen to,’ he laughed. ‘I don't know of anybody this has ever happened to.’ Hill does, however, know of people who have faced other physical disabilities through his job in social work. A . veteran fisherman, Hill told KECI he’s even started a non-profit to . teach those with disabilities how to stay active with through his . beloved pastime. Called Fishabilities, the organization aims to ‘help people with disabilities get out on the water and go fishing.’ | Andy Hill of Missoula, Montana suffered a cracked femur, chipped both fibulas, and tore ligaments in both knees . |
66,048 | bb7968e810827ac9d9c1a2859f2514c94fc326a2 | A friend of Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev got some unlikely help in federal court today when former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis showed up to testify on his behalf. Dukakis took the stand for Robel Phillipos, telling jurors about a conversation he had with Phillipos five days after the deadly bombing. The politician described himself as a longtime family friend of Phillipos and his mother, saying his wife, Kitty Dukakis, had worked as a social worker with Phillipos' mother, and the two families remained friends. Scroll down for videos . On the case: Former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis (above) appeared in federal court in Boston today to testify on behalf of Robel Phillipos . In trouble: Phillipos (above), a friend of Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is on trial for lying to the FBI in the days after the bombing . Suspects: Dzhokhar (left) and his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev (right), who is now deceased, are believed to have carried out the 2013 bombing in Boston during the city's annual marathon . Phillipos, 20, is charged with lying to authorities about his movements three days after the April 15, 2013, attack that killed three people and injured more than 260. Dukakis said Phillipos' mother called him on April 20, 2013, and said she was worried because she hadn't heard from her son for two days. Dukakis said he asked for Phillipos' cellphone number, then called him. 'He told me he had been questioned for five hours by the FBI,' Dukakis said. 'He told me he was so confused he didn't know what he said.' The spectacle of a well-known politician testifying at the trial was not lost on jurors, who listened attentively as Dukakis briefly described his political career and his conversation with Phillipos. Dukakis, 80, said he first met Phillipos when the defendant was about 4 or 5 years old. He said Phillipos came to his home over the years and he took him to the Democratic National Convention in 2004, when Phillipos was 10. 'We've certainly watched him grow up,' Dukakis said. Phillipos wiped away tears with a tissue as Dukakis described their long relationship. Dukakis told reporters that during their conversation, he urged Phillipos to contact his mother. 'I said, "Well, call your mother, will you? She's very concerned."' Upstanding guy: Dukakis said Phillipos is a good kid and was just confused after being forced to answer questions for hours for the FBI . Bad choice: Phillipos was in a room with two other individuals as they destroyed evidence vital to the investigation of the bombing . Prosecutors say Phillipos lied about being in Tsarnaev's dorm room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth when two other friends removed Tsarnaev's backpack and other potential evidence just hours after the FBI released photos of Tsarnaev and his brother as suspects. At the time, an intense manhunt was underway to find the Tsarnaevs. Dukakis' testimony appeared to be designed to support the defense contention that Phillipos was a frightened and confused 19-year-old when he was questioned by the FBI and did not intentionally mislead investigators. The defense also says that Phillipos was so high on marijuana that he couldn't clearly remember what he did the night of April 18, 2013, when the two other men removed Tsarnaev's backpack. Under cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Capin, Dukakis acknowledged that he has no personal knowledge about what Phillipos told the FBI when he was interviewed. Capin asked Dukakis if Phillipos had told him that he had lied to federal agents about what he saw happen in Tsarnaev's dorm room, if he would have advised him to contact the FBI. 'If he had told me that, sure, but he didn't,' Dukakis said. Helping hand: Dukais and his wife Kitty (above) are family friends with Phillipos and his mother . Past glory: Dukakis, who is the cousin of actress Olympia Dukakis (above) was the Democratic candidate for president in 1988 . Phillipos attended high school in Cambridge with Tsarnaev and later attended UMass-Dartmouth with him. Prosecutors say he told a string of lies to the FBI during several interviews until he finally confessed to being in Tsarnaev's dorm room and seeing the two friends take Tsarnaev's backpack, which contained fireworks that had been emptied of their explosive powder. The backpack was later recovered in a landfill. The other two men were convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Dukakis told reporters he was comfortable testifying for Phillipos. 'All I know is ... you've got testimony that's relevant in the case — I don't care who the defendant is — you've got the responsibility to ... provide that testimony,' he said. Dukakis had two stints as Massachusetts governor, from 1975 to 1979 and 1983 to 1991. He was the Democratic nominee for president in 1988, losing to Republican George H.W. Bush. He is also the cousin of Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis. | Former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis testified on behalf of Robel Phillipos in a federal court in Boston today .
Phillipos has been charged with lying to authorities about being present when evidence related to the Boston bombing was destroyed .
The young man, who the defense claim was high on marijuana and confused when the evidence was being destroyed, is friends with bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev .
Dukakis has been friends with the boy and his family since he was just 4-years-old . |
150,275 | 4e4aadf58464995c39795e5812cdd34382ef4802 | Darren Fletcher sealed a deadline day move to West Bromwich Albion from Manchester United, where he has linked up with his former Old Trafford team-mate Ben Foster. The Scotland captain is a welcome reinforcement in the midfield of Tony Pulis' squad and Foster has been giving the lowdown on exactly what he will bring to the side. 'It's great for the club - he fits perfectly into the ethos of what we want here,' Foster said to the club's official website. 'We built our foundations on players like that - hard working, good quality, honest, a player you can rely on. Darren Fletcher (centre) has trained with his new West Bromwich Albion team-mates for the first time . Midfielder Fletcher (centre) joined West Brom from Manchester United in a deadline day transfer switch . Fletcher is also the captain of Scotland and links up at West Brom with former team-mate Ben Foster . Foster spoke of his delight at the arrival of Fletcher, a team-mate at United, on the club's official website . Fletcher (left) could make his debut for West Brom against Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday . Fletcher signed a two-and-a-half year deal at West Brom and moved to the club on a free transfer from United . 'He captains his country and has about 350 games for Man United at a time when they were at their most dominant, winning trophies domestically and in Europe. 'We're happy to have him here and very lucky too.' Fletcher, who signed a two-and-a-half year contract at West Brom, could make his debut for the club in their Premier League match against Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday. | Midfielder Darren Fletcher signed for West Brom from Manchester United .
He penned a two-and-a-half year deal at the club and moved on a free .
Fletcher joins up with former United team-mate, goalkeeper Ben Foster . |
92,197 | 02958a303191e8b455970cc84bd2fb0f3f57514f | Chewing gum has been found to remove harmful bacteria from mouths, according to a study. Researchers found that just a single piece of chewing gum can remove 100 million bacteria - 10 per cent of the microbial load in saliva - in ten minutes. And they say that gum can be just as effective as flossing - although they each targets different areas of the mouth. Scroll down for video . Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands studied the effectiveness of chewing gum (stock image shown). They found in 10 minutes it removed 100 million bacteria from the mouth. But if chewed for a long time it could release bacteria back into the gums . The study, which appeared in the journal Plos One, was led by researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. They found that the gum was most effective in the first 30 seconds of chewing, and after that it would become less effective in trapping bacteria on a sliding scale. Also, they note that only gum that did not contain sugar was useful; if it did contain sugar, it could ‘feed’ oral bacteria. Last year a chewing gum company created an art installation featuring identical twins to find out what impression chewing gum makes on the public. For the Almost Identical exhibition, Beldent put the siblings together inside the Buenos Aires Museum of Contemporary Art and asked one to chew a stick of gum while the other maintained a neutral expression. When 481 visitors were asked a series of questions about the twins, 73 per cent preferred the gum chewers. In one of their experiments, known numbers of bacteria were finger-chewed into the mouths of participants, and they were then asked to chew gum for 10 minutes. The researchers found that about 100 million bacteria were detected on each piece of chewed gum, with the number increasing as chewing time increased. ‘Trapped bacteria were clearly visualised in chewed gum using scanning-electron-microscopy,’ they wrote in their paper. They used two unnamed brands of spearming gum in their study. Chewing one piece of gum could remove about 10 per cent of the oral microbial load in saliva. They note, however, that continuously chewing gum can ultimately release some of the absorbed bacteria back into the mouth. The researchers say chewing gum can be as effective as flossing (stock image shown) - although each targets different areas of the mouth. They hope their research could be used to make specialist chewing gum to absorb specific disease-related bacteria in the future . ’Continued chewing changes the structure of the gums, decreasing the hardness of the gum due to uptake of salivary components and release of water soluble components,’ they write. ‘This presumably affects the adhesion of bacteria to the gum, causing a release of initially trapped, more weakly adhering bacteria from the gum. ‘Such a change in composition of trapped bacteria is supported by the observation that the diversity of species trapped in chewed gum increases with chewing time.’ The researchers add that their research could be used to develop gum that selectively removes specific disease-related bacteria from mouths. | Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands studied the effectiveness of chewing gum .
They found in 10 minutes it removed 100 million bacteria from the mouth .
But if chewed for a long time it could release bacteria back into the gums .
It can be as effective as flossing, they say - although each targets different areas of the mouth .
They hope their research could be used to make specialist chewing gum to absorb specific disease-related bacteria . |
283,555 | fb4c98e0ac6097a74b33902582d241b9db772153 | Barack Obama's former nanny has been revealed as a gay transgender man who made the future president laugh by trying on his mother's lipstick. 'Evie' cared for the boy she called Barry when his mother Ann Dunham moved to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta in the late 1960s. Openly gay, she would leave the house dressed in full drag - but was very careful that Barack never saw her. 'He was so young and I never let him see me wearing women's . clothes,' Evie said. 'But he did see me trying on his mother's lipstick, sometimes. That used to really crack him up.' Cared for: Barack Obama (left) was looked after by transgender man Evie (right) when he lived in Indonesia . Former life: Barack Obama's former nanny Evie, who was born a man but believes she is a woman, on the left of this picture . The nanny, who turned to prostitution after the family left and now lives in a slum, met the future commander-in-chief's mother at a cocktail party in 1969. Dunham, who had moved to the country two years earlier with her second husband Lolo . Soetoro, sampled Evie's beef steak and fried rice and was so impressed that she offered her a job. It . did not take long before she was also eight-year-old Barack's carer, playing with him and bringing him to and from school. Neighbours . recalled they often saw Evie, who believes she is really a woman, leave the house in the evening fully made . up and dressed in drag. But when the family left in the early 1970s, things started going downhill. Evie . moved in with a boyfriend. That relationship ended three years later, . and she became a sex worker. She said: 'I tried to get a job as a maid, but no one would hire me. I needed money to buy food, get a place to stay.' Poverty: Evie has suffered taunts and beatings throughout her entire life. She now lives in a tiny hut in a Jakarta slum . Young leader: Barack Obama (circled) as a child at his school in Jakarta, Indonesia . It . was a cat-and-mouse game with security guards and - because the country . was still under the dictatorship of General Suharto - soldiers. They . often rounded up 'banshees' or 'warias', as they are known locally, . loaded them into trucks, and brought them to a field where they were . kicked, hit and otherwise abused. Indonesia's attitude toward transgenders is complex. Nobody knows how many of them live in the sprawling nation of 240million, but activists estimate seven million. Because Indonesia is home to more Muslims than any other country in the world, the pervasiveness of men who live as women and vice versa often catches newcomers by surprise. They hold the occasional pageant, work as singers or at salons and include well-known celebrity talk show host Dorce Gamalama. But societal disdain still runs deep - when transgenders act in TV comedies, they are invariably the brunt of the joke. They have taken a much lower profile in recent years, following a series of attacks by Muslim hard-liners. And the country's highest Islamic body has decreed that they are required to live as they were born because each gender has obligations to fulfil, such as reproduction. 'They must learn to accept their nature,' says Ichwan Syam, a prominent Muslim cleric at the influential Indonesian Ulema Council. 'If they are not willing to cure themselves medically and religiously' they have 'to accept their fate to be ridiculed and harassed'. Many transgenders turn to prostitution because jobs are hard to find and because they want to live according to what they believe is their true gender. In doing so, they put themselves at risk of contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The raid that changed everything came in . 1985. Evie and her friends scattered into dark alleys to escape the . swinging batons. One particularly beautiful girl, Susi, jumped into a . canal strewn with garbage. When things quieted, those who ran went . back to look for her. 'We searched all night,' said Evie, who is still . haunted by the memory of her friend's face. 'Finally ... we found her. It was horrible. Her body swollen, face bashed in.' Evie decided, then and there, to live . the rest of her life as a man. She ditched her tight, flowery dresses, . brocade vest and bras. Now . 66, she said: 'I knew in my heart I was a woman, but I didn't want to . die like that. So I decided to just accept it. I've been living like . this, a man, ever since.' Several longtime residents of Obama's . old Menteng neighbourhood confirmed Turdi had worked there as Barack's . nanny for two years, also caring for his baby sister Maya. Evie, who like many Indonesians goes . by a single name, now lives in a closet-sized hovel in a tightly packed . slum in an eastern corner of Jakarta, collecting and scrubbing dirty . laundry to pay for food. She wears baggy blue jeans and a white T-shirt advertising a tranquil beach resort far away in a place she has never been. She speaks softly, politely, and a deep worry line is etched between her eyes. As a child, Evie was often beaten by a father who could not stand having such a 'sissy' for a son. She said: 'He wanted me to act like a boy, even though I didn't feel it in my soul.' Teased and bullied, she dropped out of school after the third grade and decided to learn how to cook. She made her way into the kitchens of several high-ranking officials by the time she was a teenager. And then she met Obama's mother. Evie now seeks solace in religion, . going regularly to the mosque and praying five times a day. She said she . is just waiting to die. She . added that she did not know the boy she helped raise won the 2008 U.S. presidential election until she saw a picture of the family in local . newspapers and on TV. She blurted out that she knew him. As a child: Barack Obama seen riding a tricycle in his youth (left) and with his mother Ann Dunham, who moved him to Jakarta after her divorce (right) Her . friends at first laughed and thought she was crazy, but those who live . in the family's old neighbourhood confirmed it is true. 'Many . neighbours would remember Turdi. She was popular here at that time,' said Rudy Yara, who still lives across the street from Obama's former . house. 'She was a nice person and was always patient and caring in keeping young Barry.' Evie . hopes her former charge will use his power to fight for people like . her. Obama named Amanda Simpson, the first openly transgender appointee, . as a senior technical adviser in the Commerce Department in 2010. For . Evie, who's now just trying to earn enough to survive each day on . Jakarta's streets, the election victory itself was enough to give her a . reason - for the first time in a long time - to feel proud. 'Now when people call me scum,' she says, 'I can just say: 'But I was the nanny for the President of the United States!' | Evie, 66, cared for future Commander in Chief she called Barry in late 60s .
Offered job after she impressed Obama's mother with steak and rice .
When family left Indonesia, she became a sex worker and now lives in a slum . |
30,481 | 56a9ceeac2be1d151eaad4aa35d45ddb7081b8d0 | (CNN) -- Police and neighbors were searching for three young Michigan boys Saturday who have been missing since their father claimed he dropped them off with a woman before trying to kill himself a day earlier. The father survived his suicide attempt and is being cared for in a mental health facility, said Morenci, Michigan, Police Chief Larry Weeks on Saturday. But Michigan authorities do not know what has happened to his boys -- 5-year-old Tanner Skelton, 7-year-old Alexander William Skelton and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton -- prompting them to issue an Amber Alert on Friday. Weeks said that the boys' father, John Skelton, told police that he dropped the boys off Friday morning with a woman he identified as Joann Taylor -- in part to ensure they didn't see him while and after he tried to commit suicide. John Skelton told police that the woman, whom he allegedly met on the internet, was supposed to drop the boys off at their home in Morenci, a southern Michigan town of about 2,400 people about 40 miles west-northwest of Toledo, around 3 p.m. Friday. But the boys never went home and, Weeks added, authorities still aren't sure if John Skelton's story -- including Joann Taylor's existence -- is true or a fabrication. "We have not been able to locate a Joann Taylor or confirm that she even exists," Weeks told reporters Saturday evening. The last non-family member saw the boys at 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the chief. Their mother, Tanya, has been with police "virtually the entire day" on Saturday, answering questions and serving as what Weeks called a "valuable resource at this time." Weeks said Tanya Skelton had "contact with someone alleging to be Joann," adding only that this communication was not necessarily by phone or in person. According to the Amber Alert, Taylor may have been from Jackson or Hillsdale counties and may be driving a silver van. Still, Weeks reiterated that they have yet to confirm she is real and, if so, if she is with the boys. Saturday's press conference was crowded with media and residents of Morenci, many of whom have been searching for the young boys. Dozens spent Saturday searching along Bean Creek, Wakefield Park and the Riverside Natural Area -- all in Morenci -- according to Toledo-based CNN affiliate WUPW. "We just hope they're somewhere safe and warm playing video games," volunteer Carol Garcia told WUPW. But authorities thus far have offered few tips pointing community members to places where the young Skeltons might be. "We understand their drive and desire to be out there," said Weeks. "The fact is, I cannot tell the community there's a specific location they should be searching." The alert notes that Tanner is 3 feet, 6 inches tall, has strawberry blond hair, has blue eyes and weighs about 40 pounds. Alexander is 3 feet, 9 inches tall, has brown hair and eyes, weighs about 45 pounds and has scars on his hairline and chin. The oldest brother, Andrew, is 4 feet, 1 inch tall, has brown hair and eyes and weighs roughly 57 pounds. | NEW: Dozens have searched for three missing boys along Michigan-Ohio border .
An Amber Alert is out for three boys -- ages 5, 7 and 9 -- who were last seen Friday .
The boy's father told police he left the boys with a woman he'd met on the internet .
Police still don't know if the father's story is true or whether the woman he mentions is real . |
18,947 | 359f0f8d046b475e856597bdf5634ed4cff3b6fd | Like plenty of 40-something Australian men, Gus Worland spent Boxing Day last year watching the Test match over beers with his best mate. But unlike most, Worland's best friend is Hollywood A-lister Hugh Jackman. After a long day of drinking, the pair's conversation turned to Worland's health – or lack thereof. Scroll down for video . Radio host Gus Worland, pictured in April (left) and August (right), has been training for the New York Marathon . His best friend of 40 years Hugh Jackman challenged him to change his lifestyle and film it for a TV show . 'The next morning Jacko said "We had a brilliant time but it looks like you've been doing those days more often than you should",' Worland told Daily Mail Australia. 'Little did I know he'd had a chat with my wife and she had said to him perhaps if you get the right moment you should bring that up.' It was a difficult discussion for the friends of 40 years but Worland knew that Jackman was right. The 45-year-old, who hosts Triple M breakfast radio as part of the Grill Team, was a smoker, a drinker and he tipped the scales at over 140kg. For years he had tried various fad diets and weight loss pills but nothing had stuck. So Worland and Jackman, 46, came up with the idea to change Worland's lifestyle and turn it into a TV show in the process. 'We thought we might be able to show people you can lose weight through fun and a challenge rather than just a personal trainer yelling at you,' he said. Jackman (left circle) and Worland (right circle) played together in the Bannockburn Rovers Under 7's . Worland, who is a breakfast radio host on Triple M, lost 30kg in six months . 'And I'm probably more likely to keep weight off if we do it our way than just have fun.' They signed a contract with Foxtel, who the pair had previous worked with on the An Aussie Goes series. Three separate seasons followed Worland as he immersed himself with cricket fans in England, India and the West Indies – all after a challenge from Jackman. Fast forward more than six months and Worland has lost 30kg and is preparing to fly to the US to run in the New York City Marathon this Sunday. The first episode of Gus Worland: Marathon Man will air next Thursday November 6. But Worland, who lives with his family on Sydney's Northern Beaches, says it has been a lot of effort to get this point. The first thing he tackled was his smoking addiction, having his last cigarette on December 31 last year. The second thing he had to change was his diet. Before he started training for the marathon, his daily food intake was massive. 'For breakfast I'd have eggs and bacon with lots of toast, then mid-morning I'd have either bakery food – like a couple of cakes or sausage rolls - or I'd grab two cheeseburgers from Maccas,' he said. 'Then I'd have some sort of lunch like a chicken schnitzel roll maybe with some chips. 'In the afternoon I'd have a finger bun when I picked up the kids from school. 'Dinner would be a normal dinner of protein with veggies and salad, then later I'd have a cup of tea and a couple of rows of choccy.' But he says that is the 'old Gus'. Now he has cut out sugar and processed food, and started eating more fruit and vegetables. He still has bacon and eggs for breakfast, but he's swapped the toast for avocado or tomato. Worland training on the Coogee steps in Sydney in April, when he first started his weight loss regimen . The first episode of Gus Worland: Marathon Man will air next Thursday November 6 on Foxtel . Mid-morning he has a piece of fruit, followed by a chicken wrap or chicken salad for lunch. He has another piece of fruit in the afternoon followed by a dinner of fish or chicken with salad and veggies. And he's stopped having an after dinner snack. Worland says he's also cut down on alcohol. 'Basically I've stopped the grog, I might have a couple of beers a week,' he said. 'Before that the old Gus would have had a good filling of grog - I reckon probably one big lunch a week because of radio industry, a couple of bottles of wine and a case of beer.' Since filming started in April, Worland has also committed to a five-day-a-week exercise regimen with the help of personal trainer and nutritionist Brad Pamp. Worland and family (from left: son Jack, daughter Ella, wife Vicki and daughter Abi) at Ayers Rock in July . Worland and wife Vicki took part in the Outback Half Marathon at Ayers Rock . 'For the first eight weeks all I did was walk, starting at 20 minutes the first week and building up to two hours,' he said. 'At the end of eight weeks I started walking for four minutes, running for one, and I'd do that for an hour. He slowly increased the number of minutes he was running until he could run for five minutes without needing a walking break. After three months of training he completed a 5km run. After four months he ran 10km. Three months in he ran a half marathon. The whole time Jackman has been talking to Worland over phone, email and Skype and encouraging him to push harder with his training. 'We talk every day pretty much – it's perfect timing as I'm driving to work because it's early afternoon New York time,' Worland said. Gus Worland, pictured training on the Coogee steps in April, will run the New York City Marathon this Sunday . 'He just fills me in on what is going on in his life, and keeps giving advice like "Your kids are watching you, if you do this you'll set such a great example."' Worland and Jackman have been best friends ever since they met at Pymble Public School on Sydney's Upper North Shore in the 1970s. 'The first day of school I held his hand walking into the class room,' Worland said. 'He's more like a brother to me – his mum left the family home at a reasonably young age and his dad had five kids and he needed people to look after various kids at different times. 'Jacko seemed to come to our place and stay for three or four months at a time.' Since then they've been best men at each other's weddings, godfathers for each other's children and Jackman will be there when Worland runs the Marathon in New York this Sunday. Worland will also be cheered on by his wife Vicky and their three children - Jack, 14, Ella, 13 and Abi, 11 – who have been a great source of support throughout his training. Worland (pictured in early October) is confident he will be able to keep up his new, healthy lifestyle after the cameras stop rolling . Worland has mixed feelings about the Marathon now it is less than a week away. 'I'm anxious and excited – I don't want to let anyone down,' he said. 'But I'm so proud and so confident I can do it.' Worland is also confident that he will be able to keep up his new, healthy lifestyle after the cameras stop rolling. 'The underlying thing is I'm moving and I'm eating better and if you do that you'll be feeling better,' he said. 'My family and my mates won't let me give up, and my body now rejects crappy food, it really does. 'I've said that in the past but I think this time I might have cracked it.' GUS WORLAND: MARATHON MAN will air on A&E on Foxtel from Thursday November 6 at 7.30pm . | Gus Worland accepted a challenge from his best friend Hugh Jackman .
The 46-year-old got fit and lost more than 30kg within six months .
The Triple M radio host will run in the New York City Marathon this Sunday .
Worland and Jackman have been best friends ever since they met at Pymble Public School on Sydney's Upper North Shore in the 1970s .
Gus Worland: Marathon Man airs on A&E on Foxtel from next Thursday . |
91,371 | 01852cb3c5d17a10759f3cce23f98ec8cc3a8ed2 | (CNN) -- In Focus -- Gulf football interests . News of an English football deal sent the British media into a frenzy this week, when a private Abu Dhabi group announced a planned takeover of Manchester City. Sheikha Hanadi al Thani talks about the real estate bubble in Qatar . With the likes of Emirates, Etihad and Saudi Telecom, the Gulf has long had an interest in English football. Are they sound investments or a matter of prestige? MME investigates. Facetime with Sheikha Hanadi Al Thani, CEO, Al Waab City Real Estate Development . Since 2005 when the World Economic Forum named her the "Young Global Leader of the Year," Sheikha Hanadi al Thani has become an inspiration to women across the Arab world. She founded the first firm in Qatar to conduct investment banking and is now the CEO of Al Wa'ab City, a property development that's set to open in 2010. She talks to MME about the real estate bubble in Qatar and being a businesswoman in the Gulf. Watch the show this week at the times (GMT) below: Friday: 0815, 1845 Saturday: 0545 Sunday 0715 . | On this week's MME we look at Gulf interests in English football .
We talk to Sheikha Hanadi Al Thani, CEO, Al Waab City Real Estate Development .
Al Thani, who started the first investment bank in Qatar, talks about property . |
105,691 | 144c51160254fa4756a24a258672730e4960b8b7 | A law student who runs a fashion blog on which she posts selfies wearing outfits costing under £50 has become an internet sensation. Self-confessed shopaholic Hannah Farrington, 20, models everything from Primark bargains to funky disco pants and hired designer dresses in order to show people that it is possible to dress well on a budget. The Manchester University student does most of her bargain hunting online, finding cast-offs on eBay for as little as £2, and mixes and matches to recycle her clothes with some of her entire outfits costing less than £50. Self-confessed shopaholic Hannah . Farrington, 20, models everything from Primark bargains to funky disco . pants and hired designer dresses in order to show people that it is . possible to dress well on a budget . Her blog, Hannah Louise Fashion, took off . last year after she started taking selfies in her bedroom every few . days with her camera resting on a shelf and set on a timer . Hannah's inexpensive style tips are proving a huge success and her blog has attracted an army of fashion followers with almost 700,000 hits. Her blog, Hannah Louise Fashion, took off last year after she started taking selfies in her bedroom every few days with her camera resting on a shelf and set on a timer. The redhead from Blackburn, who attended Clitheroe Royal Grammar School before university, said she only began the blog 'for a bit of fun', as she had always loved clothes. She said: 'I think it has been a success because my outfits are much more realistic and affordable than glossy fashion magazines featuring models wearing £400 T-shirts. 'Most of my readers are on a budget too, so if I dressed very expensively many of them would lose interest. 'I think that a lot of people appreciate a blogger who can show them how to wear the same piece in a few different ways. 'A good idea is to have a collection of basic pieces like jeans, a leather jacket and black ankle boots that you can wear with more specific items.' The redhead from Blackburn, who attended . Clitheroe Royal Grammar School before university, said she only began . the blog 'for a bit of fun', as she had always loved clothes . Budget chain Primark is one of the few . stores Hannah regularly visits while ASOS and eBay are among her . favourite online sources for bagging bargains . Such is her fanbase that fashion labels now deluge Hannah with free samples - and her huge wardrobe is fast outgrowing her student digs. She said: 'It is quite surreal how many people now read my tips for ideas and inspiration and the amount of free clothes I get sent. It is every student's dream and all my friends are jealous. 'I am a hoarder who is terrible at getting rid of things and so my wardrobe is now too big for my flat.' Budget chain Primark is one of the few stores Hannah regularly visits while ASOS and eBay are among her favourite online sources for bagging bargains. She recently snapped up a £2 pink coat on eBay, because 'pastels are very in this winter'. She said: 'I go to Primark because the prices are so cheap, and I like it when people are surprised that nice stuff I have found is from there rather than more expensive places like Topshop or Zara. 'If I'm on a shopping trip, I start in the cheap shops and see if I can find what I'm looking for there first. 'There's nothing worse than buying something for £50 and then finding it for £12 in Primark!' And the savvy law student isn't shy about requesting money off, saying she always asks for discounts. The savvy law student isn't shy about requesting money off, saying she always asks for discounts . The student says she's also very in to leather trousers at the moment . Hannah suggests hiring a designer piece for a special occasion . 'Some people have a particular style but I just go for bits and pieces' 'Online, I have snagged so many great last minute bargains by searching on eBay by the name of a favourite shop or particular item. 'Other shops I like to look at online include Topshop, New Look, H&M, American Apparel, River Island and Miss Selfridge.' She described her own style as 'indecisive'. She said: 'Some people have a particular style but I just go for bits and pieces that I have seen around that I like. 'I am amassing a fairly vast collection of fluffy jumpers in all shapes, styles and colours. 'Other than those and my pink coats, I'm very into leather trousers at the moment.' She also recommends vintage and charity shops: 'They take a little bit more effort but it pays off and you can often end up with something much nicer and more unique than the high street item you had your eye on.' For those who cannot resist designer labels, she advises researching outlet stores and timing visits to coincide with the arrival of new stock. And for that one-off special occasion, she suggests hiring a £700 designer dress for a fraction of the sale price. For those who cannot resist designer . labels, she advises researching outlet stores and timing visits to . coincide with the arrival of new stock . Despite her fashion success, Hannah is still set on pursuing a legal career . 'I do get some guys asking what they should buy their girlfriends and what they should wear too' Hannah has had 700,000 hits to her blog, which she only really started for 'a bit of fun' Hannah's fashion following is not just female. She said: 'I do get some guys asking what they should buy their girlfriends and what they should wear too. 'My boyfriend takes all the pictures of my outfits as I am going out or coming back in. He is not a massive fan of doing it, but it works out all right.' Despite her fashion success, Hannah is still set on pursuing a legal career. She said: 'I have a lot of friends who have fashion retail jobs and they work so hard for so little reward. I think it is a really difficult industry to get into. 'I have my sights set on being a solicitor, which would help pay for my clothes shopping!' Hannah's fashion following is not just . female, and she says 'I do get some guys asking what they should buy their . girlfriends and what they should wear too' 'I think that a lot of people appreciate a blogger who can show them how to wear the same piece in a few different ways' Hannah loves neon, but is very in to pastels this winter . Hannah says she is a hoarder and is running out of space . All of Hannah's outfits are mixed and matched and cost under £50 . 'My boyfriend takes all the pictures of my . outfits as I am going out or coming back in. He is not a massive fan of . doing it, but it works out all right' Hannah is adventurous and doesn't have a specific style . Hannah's style ranges from smart to casual . The blog means Hannah is sent free clothes . The Manchester University student does most of her bargain hunting online, finding cast-offs on eBay for as little as £2 . | Shopaholic Hannah Farrington, 20, studies at Manchester University .
The redhead from Blackburn attended Clitheroe Royal Grammar School .
All her outfits cost under £50, often bought on eBay and in charity shops# .
Her blog www.hannahlouisef.com has army of followers and 700,000 hits . |
5,677 | 102446525be518ed509beff9d0936fe6d22d5bfb | By . Jill Reilly . Last updated at 10:17 PM on 17th December 2011 . Covered with his . favourite cuddly toys, the tiny coffin of 17-month-old Gabriel Leblonk - . the youngest victim of the grenade and gun massacre in Belgium - is . wheeled out following a moving funeral ceremony. Tragic Gabriel was shot while in his mother Olivia's arms by crazed gunman . Nordine Amrani who launched the appalling attack on Christmas shopping crowds in . Liege's busy Place Saint Lambert. The 32-year-old convicted criminal, . who was due to marry his long-term girlfriend, used grenades and a . semi-automatic rifle to cause carnage in the Belgian city before turning . a revolver on himself. Harrowing moment: Cuddly toys sit on the tiny coffin coffin of 17 . month-old-Gabriel Leblond, the youngest victim of the shooting and . grenade attack in Liege, Belgium, as it is wheeled out after the . funeral ceremony today . Tragic: Baby Gabriel died at just 17 months after being shot in the back of the head while in his mother's arms . Distraught Olivia . described the terrible moment when she first realised her son had been . shot and how he was finally baptised after doctors had battled for 10 . hours to save his life. She had gone shopping to the Christmas market on Tuesday morning with husband Romuald and their son. She said: 'Romuald . handed me the baby when I got off the bus. So I had him in my arms when . I heard a sound of gunfire followed by flash of light like lightning. 'I looked at my child and his eyes returned my look. I screamed. He had been wounded in the back of the head. She then said: 'My child's eyes were rolled back.' The bullet, from a military style-assault rifle was lodged in her baby’s head near the neck. 'They . could not remove it, it was too risky. They told me he had an hour . left. I warned the family. Everyone came to say goodbye,' she said. Quiet dignity: A silent march took place in Liege to pay tribute to the victims of the attack. Four people were killed and more than 120 were injured in the rampage . Yesterday as Belgium continued its struggle to come to terms . with the killings, thousands took to the streets to join a silent march . and memorial service. Defence . lawyer Jean-Francois Dister said Amrani, a Belgian from a Moroccan . background, was on parole and was due to answer a summons about . allegedly ‘sexually molesting’ a young woman. He is thought to have attacked the unnamed victim after driving alongside her in his van. Its number plate was captured by CCTV. Tragic: Friends and relatives of 15-year-old victim Mehdi Belhadj carry his coffin outside Liege's Bressoux mosque . Five people were killed and at least 130 people wounded when Nourdine Amrani began the attack on a crowded market square . ‘What worried him most was to be . jailed again. According to my client it was a set-up by people who . wanted to harm him. Mr Amrani had a grudge against the law. 'He thought he had been wrongfully convicted.’ After . Tuesday’s attack, the bag Amrani used to carry his haul of weapons was . found to still contain several loaded magazines, as well as a number of . live grenades. An . enquiry has been launched into why he had not been under closer . supervision while on bail after early release from a sentence of nearly . five years. Devastated: The attack brought horror to Belgium's fifth largest city, with crowds of shoppers, many of them children, screaming and running in panic as grenades exploded and shots rang out . United: Crowds took to the streets to show their grief for the victims of the attack . One of Amrani’s numerous previous convictions was for rape, for which he had been given a two-year suspended sentence in 2003. If convicted again for a sex crime, he would have had to serve it. This would have also meant his girlfriend, a nurse called Perrin Balon, finding out about the sex allegations against him. ‘He feared being returned to prison,’said Mr Dister. ‘He called me twice on Monday afternoon and on Tuesday morning about it. Grieving: The mother (C) and father (R) of Gabriel Leblond after the funeral ceremony for 17 months old, one of the victims of the attack . His weapons were confiscated because . of his other criminal offences, yet he managed to obtain a FAL Belgian . assault rifle, grenades and other weapons soon after his release in . October 2010. Belgian’s . notoriously liberal criminal justice system is already facing questions . as to why, in October 2010, the killer had been released from prison . three years early after being convicted of firearms and drug offences. In . 2008 he had been found guilty of keeping 10 complete firearms, and an . astonishing 9,500 gun parts in his flat, along with 2,800 cannabis . plants nearby. On . Tuesday morning, Amrani is thought to have tried to rape the woman . cleaner in his flat, where police had found an arsenal of weapons . including a rocket launcher, AK47 and Kalashnikov. Police said he killed her 'with a . bullet to her head' and then dumped her body in a lock-up shed where he . was growing cannabis plants. Killer: Amrani's lawyer said he carried out the attack because he feared being sent to back to prison for a sex crime. He then left money for Ms Balon, with a note that said: 'Good luck! I love you.' A . police source said: 'The cleaner had been working in a neighbour's . home. It appears that Amrani had invited her into his own flat to . discuss the possibility of cleaning his flat. 'There were signs of a struggle, and it may be that Amrani had tried to rape her. 'Whatever happened, she was undoubtedly his first murder victim on Tuesday morning.' Cedric Visart Bocarme, the Belgian . Attorney General, confirmed that the woman 'would have been murdered by . the killer just before he went to Place Saint-Lambert'. The attack brought horror to Belgium's . fifth largest city, with crowds of shoppers, many of them children, . screaming and running in panic as grenades exploded and shots rang out. Looking: Police pictured searching through Nordine Amrani's apartment . Abdelhadi Amrani, another lawyer who worked for the killer but is not related, said he had grown up in foster homes after being orphaned as a child. ‘I remember a man deeply marked by the loss of his parents,’ said Ms Amrani. ‘He lost his father and mother very early. He was marked by fate. ‘I would add he was a very smart boy, gifted. 'Nordine often spoke of his desire to start a family. He was to be married to a nurse in Liege.’ Commenting on Amrani’s background, Ms Amrani said: ‘He did not feel at all Moroccan. He did not speak a word of Arabic, and was not Muslim. What he said is that he felt like a Belgian. Stopped in his tracks: A body, thought to be gunman Nordine Amrani, lies on the pavement close to a gun and full clips of ammunition. ‘He was crazy about weapons, but as a collector. 'He felt he had not had much luck in life and felt unfairly treated by the courts. 'This was the fed-up cry of a tormented soul – he was estranged from justice, and against society.’ A 17-month-old baby boy called Gabriel became the fourth victim after dying in hospital late on Tuesday night despite undergoing hours of emergency treatment. Gabriel was in the arms of his mother when he was hit by a bullet in the back of the head. The child and his parents were at the bus stop just below the walkway from where Amrani opened fire. Amrani had been due to attend a police interview in the late morning but never showed up. Instead he left his apartment armed with a Belgian-made FN- FAL automatic rifle, a handgun and up to a dozen grenades carried in a backpack. He drove the five-minute journey from his 1930s apartment building the Residence Belvedere and parked his white van in Place St Lambert. He walked on to a raised walkway above a bus stop where lunchtime shoppers were thronging for the opening of a Christmas market. From his 15ft high vantage point he lobbed three hand grenades towards a busy bus shelter before opening fire on the crowd. A 15-year-old boy died instantly while the baby of 17 months and a 17-year-old boy succumbed to their injuries in hospital. | 17-month-old Gabriel Leblonk was shot while in his mother's arms . |
141,310 | 42b9307cdbe298505537c8f0ee02bcdf90ea0c53 | By . Charles Walford . Last updated at 2:53 PM on 27th December 2011 . A landlady collapsed and died as she tried to break up a brawl in her pub on Christmas Eve. Tributes have since poured in for Josephine Murtagh following her sudden death at the White Horse in Liskeard, Cornwall. Officers said the landlady was not . attacked but most likely suffered some form of 'medical episode' when . trying to stop the fight. Bouquets of flowers lay at the entrance to the pub as regulars customers friends came to pay tribute to the 59-year-old, who they described as 'like a mother' to them. Regulars at the White Horse have paid tribute to landlady Josephine Murtagh after she died on Christmas Eve . A note fixed to the pub read: 'June, . you are on a different planet now - our condolences because you were . such a lovely person. Godspeed.' A White Horse customer, who asked not to be named, said: 'It is a very close community here, the regulars all know each other and so this news has come as a huge shock to everyone. 'Nobody can quite believe what has happened. June was an amazing lady, it is just so sad that she’s gone.' Police have now launched an investigation after what they described as 'a scrap' involving up to eight people, at around 10pm on Saturday. It is believed Ms Murtagh was upstairs at the pub when she heard an altercation in the bar and came to try and sort it out. Emergency services were called but Ms Murtagh was pronounced dead at the scene. One former staff member said: 'She was like a mother to me, I'm more than happy and proud to say that. 'She was a wonderful person and had been through a lot - she was always smiling and helped people whenever she could. 'It didn't matter to her what your background was, where you came from, who you were. 'I took my young daughter in to see her just last week - she was just such a lovely, warm person.' Ms Murtagh was popular with locals in the pub in Liskeard, Cornwall . Three men, two aged 18 and one 20-year-old, were arrested on suspicion of affray and taken into custody at Launceston Police Station. They were released on bail until March, police confirmed. The pub was closed on Boxing Day. Inspector Gareth Twigg said: 'There are a lot of witnesses to speak to and a lot of statements to take, and then a file will be passed to the coroner. 'Early investigations appear to show that there was a fight in the pub at around 10pm, when the woman tragically died. 'About six to eight people were involved, and because of the disturbance it looks as though she got involved to get them to stop it. 'It would appear that she then collapsed, although she didn’t appear to be attacked.' | Friends and regulars leave tributes to Josephine Murtagh, 59, at her Cornwall pub . |
58,454 | a5bd73b7a466307312e25b4380f0f8e7454a4f2b | It may seem weird that the 2004 low-budget breakout comedy "Napoleon Dynamite" is surfacing as an animated series, but for writer/director Jared Hess, it's not that odd that his world of Preston, Idaho lives on. "We were approached about doing a sequel but at the time it didn't feel right," Hess told CNN. "There's so much low-budget charm in the first film, that it would be hard to recreate that in a live action way in being able to use a real budget." Real discussions on turning "Napoleon Dynamite" into an animated series began more than two years ago, when Hess met with "Simpsons" veteran Mike Scully. The pair assembled a pitch and a writing team and are now seeing the fruits of their labor -- a short, six-episode first season, airing during Fox's "animation domination" Sunday night block. Whether or not the show will continue past this initial short order remains to be seen, but Hess and his staff are busy writing more episodes in the event that they get picked up. So how does the process of turning "Napoleon Dynamite" into an animated series work? CNN recently spoke with Hess from his home in Salt Lake City where he explained just that. CNN: When did the idea to turn this into an animated series start gestating? Jared Hess: There were different stages, obviously, but it kind of happened when we were shooting the movie. But we didn't know anything would happen with the movie at the time. It was just a pipe dream. It really was my wife's idea; we started work on this about two and a half years ago. That's when we met up with Mike Scully. He was already a huge fan of the film and I was a huge fan of his work on "The Simpsons." CNN: The normal thing for a live action show is you have to shoot a pilot before it gets picked up. How did it work in this case? Hess: You do a little animation presentation piece to showcase what an episode would look like, design-wise. Initially, back in the day, for "King of the Hill" and stuff like that, it was a two-minute stencil animation test to show what it would look like. Over the years, they've ponied up more money because they want to see it fleshed out. We actually did a nine-minute pilot presentation, with a story arc and everything. We did that about a year and a half ago. Based on that and addition to a pilot script and other artwork to make a full packet, they decided to order a season or not. CNN: That's a serious endeavor. Hess: Especially with the animation. One episode, from the time you write it to the color, it takes about nine months. Just doing an animation presentation, that was about seven to eight months. Once you get picked up, you have to start hiring people. CNN: With "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and "Family Guy," they had to start out getting an audience interested in their world. But we already know the "Napoleon Dynamite" world. How does this show materialize? Hess: We have a staff of about 12 writers and we all lock ourselves in a room; there's a couple of dry-erase boards, some sticky notes and we just start pitching potential story lines. We zero in on the ones that we think will be the most funny. "The Simpsons" is coming up on its 500th episode and we have a couple of people that are longtime "Simpsons" people that are working on our show and they've been valuable. We'll pitch something and they'll be like "I think we did that Season 10, episode 5." We actually wrote a lot of the scripts as a group for this first season in getting the right tone and what we wanted to establish for the show. After we have a script, we get a draft of notes, and then do a table read with the cast as well as people from the network and people that just want to come in and enjoy it. It's a room full of people and we're reading it out loud and in character. After that, we get one more set of notes that we try to turn around pretty quickly and then immediately go and record all the voices. You cut together an audio track -- almost like a radio show -- and we cut it to the length of the episode and that goes to the animators and they start storyboarding to the audio track that we recorded. Then we get an animatic back and we give notes on that and once we've locked the animatic, it ships off to get animated. CNN: One of the things about the film is that it doesn't rely on bad language, raunchiness or sex jokes. But the Fox Sunday night animation block certainly does in its various ways. How does "Napoleon Dynamite" continue with its style in this case? Hess: We've been very aware of it and we're working hard to maintain the innocence that people responded to in the film and keep that. Fox already has shows that do that and we can be our own thing without trying to imitate what the other's do. CNN: Who do you see enjoying this show? Who is the demographic? Hess: I haven't been able to isolate that into age group or cultures. I think it boils down to people's specific sense of humor. And the film demonstrated that for us. CNN: What are some of the upcoming plots that you're excited about? Hess: We have one where Napoleon gets a job at a liger breeding facility and that one's a lot of fun. That was the first episode we wrote as a group, about a year ago. One of my favorites is where we have ... in Preston, my hometown, they do this thing every year called the bed races, where it's this annual tradition in the town around Christmastime, where everyone races beds up and down Main Street. We've got an episode about that which is super funny. We also have a Future Farmers of America episode, where we had to get their official approval. We sent them the script and they were like, "Well, there's some inaccuracies here about the soil-judging competition but we'll let it go." CNN: Did you ever win a bed race growing up? Hess: No, I actually didn't. I filmed the bed races for my Eagle Scout project. I did a little video for the Chamber of Congress. [Laughs.] . CNN: Are you working on any new scripts or any new movies? Hess: I got a project with Lorne Michaels' company that I'm hoping to do this year. It's a heist comedy based on these people that pulled off the second-largest cash heist in U.S. history back in 1997/1998, in North Carolina. It's a funny, ridiculous story. | Discussions on the "Napoleon Dynamite" animated series began two years ago .
"Mike Scully was already a huge fan of the film," writer/director Jared Hess said .
"We're working hard to maintain the innocence that people responded to in the film," he said . |
235,272 | bc93423f6d5abf1428805cce0458c6ad8d3fba20 | Just three days before a knife-wielding veteran broke into the White House, Secret Service let an armed felon ride in the same elevator as President Obama. The startling revelation that the commander-in-chief's life was compromised was revealed today, as the director of the Secret Service testified before Congress to explain the recent lapses in security. The newest security slip-up happened on Mr Obama's September 16 trip to Atlanta, Georgia for a briefing on the Ebola crisis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the CDC, Mr Obama and his security detail entered an elevator when a contract security officer operating the lift started taking photos and video of the president. Scroll down for video . How did that happen? President Obama rode in the same elevators as a convicted felon carrying a handgun when he visited the CDC on September 16, it was revealed on Tuesday . Sources told the Washington Exmainer and Washington Post that the unnamed CDC officer ignored Secret Service orders to out the phone away, and continued to act 'oddly' and 'unprofessionally'. When the president got out of the elevator, some of his Secret Services officers stayed behind to question the CDC employee with his supervisor, at which point they discovered he had three prior convictions for assault and battery. When the supervisor fired the officer on the spot for acting 'highly irresponsible' she told him to hand over his gun - to the extreme shock of the Secret Service members present. Before the president travels anywhere, Secret Service are supposed to conduct background checks on employees who work at all the venues the president will visit. Anyone with a prior conviction is not usually allowed in the same room as the president, and only sworn law enforcement are allowed to carry guns. The unruly security officer checked both of those boxes but somehow managed to evade Secret Service's prior detection. Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, of Utah, was outraged to hear about the latest lapse in security. 'You have a convicted felon within arm’s reach of the president, and they never did a background check. Words aren’t strong enough for the outrage I feel for the safety of the president and his family,' Rep Chaffestz told the Washington Post. 'His life was in danger. This country would be a different world today if he had pulled out his gun,' he added. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson is reportedly having a top agency manager look into the matter. Director Pierson had her plate full today when she spent three hours being grilled by a Congressional committee on the job Secret Service has been doing as of late. Sorry: US Secret Service Director Julia Pierson apologized for a Sept. 19 White House perimeter breach by a man carrying a knife . It was also revealed in the hearing today that at least two uniformed officers noticed Army veteran Omar J Gonzales acting strange around the White House just before he jumped the fence and made it all the way to the East Room on September 19. Gonzalez had been stopped outside the White House before, carrying a small hatchet on August 25, and the officers remembered him from that run-in. However, Prison says they observed him 'for some time' on September 19, but did not intervene. 'It is clear that our security plan was not executed properly,' Pierson told lawmakers. 'I take full responsibility; what happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again.' Trespasser: Omar Gonzalez made it all the way into the East Room of the White House before Secret Service agents subdued him . | The incident happened while the president was visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on September 16 .
Three days later, a knife-wielding Army veteran jumped the White House fence and made it all the way to the East Room before being stopped .
Latest revelation was made on Tuesday, as the director of the Secret Service testified before Congress on agency's lapse in security . |
1,728 | 04f95ebf0c764be65e68364f8bfd4f8a743bd06f | London (CNN) -- Janet Jackson is opening up for the first time about a duet with her brother that she's reviving two years after his death. Jackson took to the stage in London on Thursday and performed their 1995 song Scream as video of Michael Jackson played and his voice filled Royal Albert Hall. The reworked duet follows in the footsteps of jazz pianist and singer Nat King Cole and his daughter, Natalie Cole. In 1991 she turned her father's famous 1961 recording "Unforgettable" into a father-daughter duet. Janet Jackson said she did the original duet at the request of her brother years ago. "I was on the Rhythm Nation tour and Mike actually asked me to do a song with him and I told him no. I didn't want to do it. I felt I hadn't come into my own and I hadn't fully made a name for myself ... and I didn't want to ride anyone's coattails," she said. "And I remember being in the Janet Tour a few good years later and he asked me again if I would do a song with him. And I felt, at that point, I'd carved my own little niche in this world of music and I felt okay, I can do this now and that's how it came about." Jackson said that performing the song alongside her brother again isn't difficult. "It feels great -- just listening to and hearing his voice," she said, adding that on stage she finds herself, "remembering the experience of recording it." Jackson declined to comment to the press on the two-year mark of her brother's death, instead taking to social media this week with a simple message on Twitter on the June 25 anniversary: "I miss you, I love you." Jackson wraps up the European leg of her tour this week then heads to North America, Australia and Africa. | Jackson performs virtual duet on stage in London .
She recorded it with her brother Michael in 1995 .
"It feels great -- just listening to and hearing his voice," she says . |
273,064 | edb315c36623572865b4fe1923ed564f74f8d345 | Passengers in cars and taxis are being exposed to air pollution up to 15 times greater than cyclists and pedestrians on busy city streets, a new study has found. Travelling inside a vehicle could be much worse than cycling by the kerb or walking on the pavement because emissions are highest in the centre of the carriageway, where vehicles suck in dirty air from those in front, scientists say. Their shocking findings were revealed following an experiment by a group of five MPs who sit on the Government’s cross-party Environmental Audit Committee (EAC). People in cars and taxis are being exposed to far more air pollution than those cycling and on foot . Each was provided with a gadget to measure airborne pollution levels, as well as a GPS tracker device, by scientists from King’s College London, who analysed where pollution was at its highest during their travels across London and in their constituencies over a week in July. By far the highest levels of tiny particles of ‘black carbon’ or deadly soot breathed in by the MPs was during taxi journeys in cities. On average each inhaled around 50 million particles per breath while inside a cab in London, around seven times more than the six to seven million particles per breath inhaled while walking around Whitehall or Oxford Street, and 15 times greater than levels recorded outside their eventual destination City Hall where, on leaving the cab, levels fell to three million particles per breath. London Mayor Boris Johnson (right) is expected to announce a new initiative to combat pollution next week in the wake of Joan Walley (left) and the rest of the EAC's findings . The findings are worrying because persistent inhalation of air pollution and traffic emissions have been linked to lower life expectancy and serious illnesses, including heart disease and cancer, as well as low birth weights and stunted lung development in children. Ben Barratt, a lecturer and air quality scientist at King’s College, said that air pollutants, such as black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and the toxic leftovers of inefficiently burnt fuel, were highest in the middle of a carriageway and in the first two to three feet above the road, dropping off nearer to the kerb and pavement. ‘Travelling in vehicles gave the greatest average exposure,’ Dr Barratt said. Five MPs carried out the Environmental Audit Committee study in London taxis . ‘When you are in a vehicle, nose to tail with those in front, you are right in the middle of the source of the pollution. ‘Vehicles close together suck in each other’s emissions. ‘The air intakes are in the engine compartment close to road level, so they pick up the fumes emitted by the vehicle in front of them. Open windows are another route.’ Dr Barratt said often dirty air became trapped in cars and taxis, whereas cyclists and pedestrians had a constant ‘flow of air’ breezing in from all directions around them. The MPs who took part in the research were chairwoman of the EAC Joan Walley, fellow Labour MPs Alan Whitehead and Mike Kane, and Conservatives Caroline Nokes and Matthew Offord. They are investigating why diesel engines, which are now recognised as some of the worst pollutants, were mistakenly promoted by officials as environmentally friendly. On Wednesday, London Mayor Boris Johnson will appear before the EAC to explain why the capital persistently breaches EU standards on pollution levels. Mr Johnson is expected to announce an new initiative – Breathe Better Together – where commuters will be asked to work from home or use bikes, trains and buses instead of cars and taxis when air pollution levels are highest. However, it is not just in London where pollution is a problem. Mrs Walley’s monitor saw her inhale more than 80 million particles per breath during a car journey in her Stoke-on-Trent North constituency, while Mr Kane was exposed to 20 million particles per breath during a cab ride in Manchester. Dense smog hangs over London, obscuring buildings like The Shard earlier this year . Mrs Walley said: ‘Our monitoring equipment showed that people in vehicles were far more exposed to air pollution than they would be walking. ‘Car makers test exhaust emissions but this raises a question about whether they should also be considering air quality inside vehicles.’ Research suggests that up to 29,000 premature deaths are caused each year in Britain by pollution - 10 times the number of people killed in road accidents. Those who live in big cities have a lower life expectancy, studies have found, because of poor air quality. London has by far the worst air pollution problem in the country - in 2010, 3,389 people died and 41,404 years of life were lost as a result of air pollution in the capital, according to Public Health England. The biggest concern is the tiny bits of carbon - around 30 times smaller than a human hair - which are so small they can get into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, passing through major organs, such as the heart and brain. They can have immediate effects on people with existing health conditions, triggering asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes. But, worryingly, pollution can also cause diseases in healthy individuals, such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even cancer. | People in cars exposed to up to 15 times pollution of walkers and cyclists .
Emissions are highest in the centre of the carriageway, where the cars are .
Dirty air is sucked in through car air filters and breathed in by passengers .
Study run by Environmental Audit Committee - cross-party group of five MPs .
MPs inhaled average of 50 million soot particles per breath in London cab .
Those who live in big cities have lower life expectancies because of pollution .
Mayor Boris Johnson expected to announce new initiative later this week . |
78,201 | ddb3681c79c837f0b33c39650fe6ea85356b6b89 | A millionaire CEO and his wife who died following a mysterious house fire had both been stabbed multiple times, it has emerged. Cooper Health System CEO John P. Sheridan Jr. and his wife, Joyce, were pulled from their house in Montgomery Township, New Jersey on September 28 after an 'intentionally set' fire, police said. Mr Sheridan, a 72-year-old ally of New Jersey governor Chris Christie, was pronounced dead at the scene, while his retired teacher wife, 69, suffered cardiac arrest and later passed away at hospital. Authorities have released few details about the investigation and have made no arrests in the case. Mystery: John Sheridan Jr., 72, and his wife Joyce, 69, both died after a fire was intentionally set at their New Jersey home. It has now emerged that both had suffered stab wounds before the fire . But a source familiar with the investigation told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Sheridan suffered stab wounds to his neck and on one side of his body, while his wife had been repeatedly stabbed in the upper body and chest. Two knives were recovered from the scene although a third weapon, which authorities believe caused the wounds to Mr Sheridan's neck and side, has not been found, a source said. Authorities have already said the fire, which was started with gasoline and confined to the bedroom of the couple's home, was intentionally set. The gas can was found in the bedroom. Investigators and lawyers from the Attorney General's Office and detectives from the New Jersey State Police have been drafted in to help with the 'very complex case', the paper reported. A possible motive has not been released by authorities but they have indicated that they believe the couple's four sons had no involvement in the deaths. Questions: Police tape can be seen outside the couple's Montgomery Township home in September. The fire was confined to their master bedroom and a gasoline can was found inside the room . This leaves open two possibilities: murder-suicide or homicide, the Inquirer reported. The Prosecutor's Office has said there is no threat to the public. Law enforcement officials have said they were awaiting additional test results and a report from the medical examiner's office to shed light on the Sheridans' cause of death. The couple's neighbor, who called 911 that morning after smelling burning, told the dispatcher that when he knocked on the Sheridans' front door, he could hear banging and what he believed to be a person trying to get out of a room upstairs, according to previous reports. But Captain Jack Bennett, a spokesman for the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, said that what the man heard were actually the sounds from the raging fire, and not a person banging. The couple's sons released a statement on Tuesday reading: 'Real answers will only come after a full and thorough investigation. Connections: Sheridan (left) is pictured with, from left, George Norcross III, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Dr. Paul Katz during an event in 2012. He was an influential member of the Republican party . 'We are committed to getting to the truth and that means we will not comment while the investigation is ongoing.' The men have hired Michael Baden, a top forensic pathologist, to assist them in the case. They have also started a process with the Somerset County Surrogate's Office to handle their parents' estate because a will for the couple has not been found. The couple owned two homes, the $512,000 house where the fire unfolded and another in New York. Mr Sheridan was president and CEO of Camden-based Cooper University Health Care, which has more than 700 physicians and serves more than half a million patients a year. NJBiz valued his company at $913 million earlier this year. Sheridan, a Republican, also had ties to Governor Chris Christie and served as general counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Remembered: Hundreds of people, including Christie, attended the couple's memorial in October . The couple's joint memorial service drew hundreds of mourners including Chris Christie and four of his predecessors, former governors Jim Florio, Christine Whitman, Tom Kean and Don DiFrancesco. As well as their four sons, the couple left behind three grandchildren. In a case unrelated to the fire, one of the couple's sons, Matthew Sheridan, 40, was arrested hours after their deaths for cocaine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia found in his car. The Prosecutor's Office has not yet pursued the charges against Matthew, who lived with his parents, but has five years to do so. | John Sheridan, CEO of Cooper Health System and friend of NJ Governor Chris Christie, and his wife Joyce died after a fire at their home in September .
It has now emerged that they had both been stabbed repeatedly .
Authorities, who have been tight-lipped about the investigation, previously said that it appeared that fire was 'intentionally set'
But they have made no arrests and have not released a motive; they have also said they do not suspect the couple's four sons .
The wealthy couple did not leave behind a will . |
11,025 | 1f5959e77bd106ae34e1fc61b34d4aa799d2cd6c | Corporal Mark Kershaw, 27, had just got back from his third tour of duty in Helmand Province when he was head-butted and kicked in the attack in Hull . An Army hero who was savagely beaten after returning to the UK from fighting in Afghanistan was banned from wearing his medals at their trial in case his bravery influenced the jury. Corporal Mark Kershaw, 27, had just got back from his third tour of duty in Helmand Province with Operation Herrick 18 when he was head-butted and kicked to the ground in the cowardly attack. He was targeted after trying to stop a woman and two drunken men who were verbally abusing a senior taxi warden on George Street in Hull town centre. The suspects were subsequently arrested and during their trial at Hull Crown Court this week, Cpl Kershaw was told by defence barrister Ian Stuart-Brook that he should remove his Afghanistan campaign medal and Jubilee medal from 'public sight'. The lawyer argued that he should not be wearing them in public because 'it would have an unfair effect on the jury underlining his status as a decorated soldier'. Judge Mark Bury, agreed, despite Cpl Kershaw's protest that he had been given permission to wear the medals by a senior officer at his Household Cavalry unit in Windsor in the seven days before Remembrance Sunday. Cpl Kershaw, who was commended for his bravery in Afghanistan, arrived each day with his medals but was forced to take them off and put them in his pocket after the judge ruled the ban should remain in place for the entire four days of the trial. Despite the ban on his medals, the two defendants who kicked the soldier to the ground were allowed to wear poppies in court during the trial. The decision sparked outrage among Cpl Kershaw's family and war veterans on the concourse of the court. Cpl Kershaw told the court from the witness stand how his was attacked on his first night out after returning from a seven-month tour of duty of Afghanistan on November 23 last year. The special unit solider had completed tours of Afghanistan in 2007, 2009 and 2013 - a total of 22 months - and had been commended for bravery. During the conflict, he was caught up in a bomb explosion and now has shrapnel embedded next to his spine. Four of his friends also died during the tours. The corporal said he was waiting in a taxi queue in Hull town centre when he was head-butted by a woman and then jumped on by two men who were with her. He said he had been waiting in the taxi queue when the woman, Beverley Logen, 27, began abusing a taxi marshal. 'People were watching what was happening and doing nothing,' Cpl Kershaw told the court. 'I was trying to be a peacemaker. I saw him getting verbally abused. I told her to let him do his job. 'The next thing I knew, was she turned around and head-butted me in the face. My nose exploded. I went to the ground and people stamped on my head and kicked me.' Craig Hood , 27, (right) and Lee Wareham, 34, (left) both denied causing Cpl Kershaw actual bodily harm, but were found guilty following a four day trial at Hull Crown Court this week. They will be sentenced next month . Logen, who has previous convictions for assault, pleaded guilty on her first appearance in court. However, her husband Craig Hood , 27, of Burton-upon-Stather, near Scunthorpe, and Lee Wareham, 34, of Gateshead, both denied causing Cpl Kershaw actual bodily harm and went on trial this week. Taxi marshall Alistair Storey told the jury. 'I have never in my life witnessed anything like it. 'The woman just put her head back and head-butted him. His nose just exploded. 'All three of them started kicking him and raining punches. They were screaming: "Let's have him!" 'All three of them stamped on him and kicked him. Both males stamped on him when he was on the floor. It was a cowardly trick.' Eyewitness Lewis Foster said: 'All he said was "let him do his job". 'The girl head-butted Mark in the face. The two men came round fists flying in Mark's direction.' Both men were unanimously convicted after the four-day trial and Judge Bury told them: 'You have both been convicted of a nasty attack on a man who was concerned about the level of abuse Beverley Logen was using on a person doing his public duty. 'I am satisfied, that although Beverley Logen started this, you both played a part. 'In particular this involved punching and kicking someone who was doing nothing more than standing up for someone else. 'You Hood have a conviction for threatening behaviour. You must both understand you are at risk of being sent to prison. That must follow when there was this level of violence.' The judge deferred sentencing until December 12 pending a probation report. After the trial, Cpl Kershaw revealed how he had been asked not to speak to the press because of security concerns for his unit's future operations in the wake of the heightened terror threat. Cpl Kershaw was left with a bloody nose and swelling after being head-butted and kicked in the attack last year . Hull Royal British Legion veteran Charles Jenneson said it was a disgrace the corporal had been banned from wearing his medals. He said: 'They are the Queen's medals and he was giving evidence in the Queen's Court. 'The Judge was wrong to make him take them off. He would not have dreamed of asking a World War Two veteran to remove them.' Cpl Kershaw's uncle, Alan Kershaw, 47, said he was also outraged that his nephew had been told by the judge to remove his medals. 'It's an absolute disgrace,' the lorry driver said. 'Mark has earned those medals and he fully expected to be able to wear them in court. 'He has been shot at, blown up, and seen four of his friends killed in Afghanistan. He has given first-aid to wounded Afghans and been mentioned in dispatches for his bravery. 'Yet the jury was told none of this. He came to the court as a victim of crime and he was treated like this. This man has fought for his country and has seen men die. He should be allowed to wear them. Cpl Mark Kershaw was given an Afghanistan campaign medal and a Jubilee medal for his bravery . 'I know he wanted to show his support to the old boys who are wearing them. He won't be able to return to his Remembrance parade in Windsor, this Sunday because he has been in court all week, so he got permission to wear them in court. 'He doesn't wear them in the street. It has just added insult to injury. I was livid when I heard he was attacked on his first night out from Afghanistan. 'The word cowardly rightly sums them up. I am glad they got him when he was on the ground. He would have made a real mess of them if he had wanted to fight.' Shipley Tory MP Philip Davies added: 'It is appalling that a judge ordered a war hero to remove the medals he won so bravely serving his country. 'Soldiers should be free to wear their war medals at all times. This soldier was not on trial, he was the victim of a crime, and the wearing of his medals had no bearing on the guilt or innocence of the defendant. 'If the judge thinks that the jury are so stupid that they cannot see past the medals of a victim to determine the guilt or innocence of someone else then perhaps he shouldn't be a judge at all.' Meanwhile Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart agreed the judge's decision was wrong. He said: 'If it is true that the thugs were allowed to wear poppies, while a soldier, a victim, was forced to hide the symbols of his heroism in open court, then it is a disgrace. 'We can't allow this perversion where thugs rights are sacrosanct and decent people's rights are trampled upon. If that is the culture in some court then it needs to change and change urgently.' | Corporal Mark Kershaw attacked while waiting for taxi in Hull town centre .
The 27-year-old had just returned from his third tour of duty in Afghanistan .
Craig Hood and Lee Wareham denied attack but Beverley Logen admitted it .
Two men allowed to wear poppies for court trial this week and found guilty .
Cpl Kershaw banned from wearing medals by judge after defence complaint .
Lawyer said medals should be 'out of sight' so as not to sway jury decision . |
220,724 | a9bc74e5211ca5b79451941fdd54d61beab85593 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 07:27 EST, 29 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 30 July 2012 . It is a tradition which began more than 200 years ago, when George III was on the throne and Britain was at war with France. But living on Spurn Point is no longer possible for the families of the brave lifeboatmen who have helped stricken sailors in and around the Humber Estuary. Life on this remote peninsula in East Yorkshire, buffeted by winds and tides, has become so isolated that the families of Britain's only full-time lifeboat crew will leave their homes and move inland later this year. End of an era: Humber lifeboat coxswain David Steenvoorden and his wife Karen are preparting to leave their home on Spurn Point, where families of lifeboatmen have lived for more than 200 years . Out on a limb: Spurn Point, which has been home to lifeboatmen and their families since the early 19th century, is a 20,000ft spit of land at the mouth of the Humber Estuary . Remote: Families living on the peninsula have become increasingly isolated as it has been buffeted by winds and tides and affected by erosion . The lifeboat crew will then begin a new shift system with five members working six days on and six days off. Families have lived in houses on the remote 20,000ft spit of land since the early 19th century. The lifeboat station was founded in 1810. It now keeps one of the busiest of the RNLI's all-weather vessels, dealing with more than 50 incidents a year. Moving on: Karen Steenvoorden, pictured with husband David, said the lifeboatmen's wives had taken the decision to leave 'really hard' But increased erosion has caused the road leading to the peninsula's tip to become impassable at times as the wind blows sand across. High tides frequently make it impossible for children to get to school and two families had to stay in a hotel last year when a sea surge cut off the road. The lifeboat crew must be available . for call-out 24 hours a day, which makes life difficult for spouses who . must plan ahead for even the simplest of tasks. The nearest shop is a 16-mile round trip from their homes. Humber . lifeboat coxswain Dave Steenvoorden, 54, said: 'I am going to be gutted . when I leave. I think they have made the absolutely right decision to . move the families but I have been here 21 years and love it.' His wife Karen said: 'The wives have taken it really hard. If you could bottle what Spurn is and sell it you’d be a millionaire. 'It’s very laid back. We don’t lock doors. We are going to find it so strange going out into the big wide world.' Six families are on the move, and the last is due to leave Spurn Point on August 20. Their homes will be converted into dormitories and offices. Andy Clift, the RNLI's divisional inspector, said the station was so remote that it was difficult to staff with volunteers. The lifeboat will remain with a fully professional crew and the RNLI has recruited four new members to work the shift system. An RNLI spokesman said: 'Our crew . make many sacrifices to enable them to save lives at sea - a role they . would be unable to carry out without the full support of their families - . and the RNLI has a duty of care to both its crew members and to the . families. 'Gutted': Dave Steenvoorden said he would find it hard to leave his home on the peninsula . History: A lifeboat station has stood on Spurn Point since 1810. The site is currently home to one of the RNLI's busiest all-weather lifeboats . Changes: The lifeboat crew will begin a new shift system with members working six days on and six days off . The way they were: The 1900 lifeboat crew, pictured with their vessel at Spurn Point . Past residents: Former members of the lifeboat crew at Spurn Point . Tradition: Lifeboat crews have been operating from Spurn Point since 1810 . 'We want to ensure our crew members have a satisfactory work-life balance, with appropriate time off from operational duty and their place of work. 'The current way of working means this is impossible to achieve. 'It has also become increasingly clear that the continuous erosion of Spurn Point and regular breaching of the road will make it difficult to sustain community life for much longer. 'Travel for the crew members' families to and from work, school, the shops et cetera can be difficult and sometimes dangerous. 'As the RNLI can no longer guarantee the safety and comfort of the families living on the Point, it has become imperative that we progress plans to move them away from the lifeboat station.' Place by the sea: Families have lived in a cluster of homes on the peninsula for more than two centuries, but the current residents have been beset with difficulties caused by winds and tides . Nostalgic: The decision to move the families inland brings to an end more than 200 years of tradition . | Lifeboatmen and their families have lived on Spurn Point, at the mouth of the Humber Estuary, since the early 19th century .
But erosion caused by winds and tides has damaged roads and left the current crew increasingly isolated . |
227,632 | b2bfa03f87f059eef91a168717a7f02cca70e105 | According to the children's rhyme, beans are the musical fruit - but now you can turn any food and household item into an instrument thanks to Ototo. Ototo, from London-based designers Dentaku, is a small synthesiser that lets people build instruments out of everyday, inanimate objects including pipes, cardboard boxes and other junk items. Alternatively, users can connect it to fruit, vegetables and other conductive items to turn these objects into keys that play music when touched. Scroll down for video . To turn an object into an instrument, users connect the Ototo, pictured right, from London-based Denatku, to the item using crocodile clips. A demonstration video shows the designers getting sounds from an aubergine, pictured left . Keys: 12 key capacitive touch keyboard (1 octave) with connectors . Sensors: Four sensor inputs, 5V analog input . Audio: Built-in speaker and 3.5mm headphone output . Power: Powered by 2 x AA batteries or micro USB . Memory: 128 Mbit Flash . Extras: Seven sensors including Rotation, Slider, Touch Strip, Light, Breath, Joystick and Force . Each Ototo has 12 touch inputs, similar to those found on a keyboard, as well as a built-in speaker and headphone port. It can be powered by battery, or by USB. There are four sensors that let users modify the sounds produced when the keys are pressed. To turn an object into an instrument, users can plug crocodile clips to the object – the demonstration video uses an aubergine – and on the Ototo. With conductive items, pressing the object produces the sound. 'Using different combinations of objects and sounds, the only limit is your imagination,’ said the inventors. Full video commissioned by Near Now, a programme ran by Broadway in Nottingham. As well as standard items, any conductive object, including fruit and vegetables can be fitted to the Ototo to create an edible keyboard, like the one pictured . Each Ototo, pictured, has 12 touch inputs, similar to those found on a keyboard, as well as a built-in speaker and headphone output. It can be powered by battery, or by USB. There are four sensor inputs that let users modify the sounds produced when the keys are pressed . Dentaku has also created seven different sensors that can be fitted to the board to create different sounds. These include the Rotation sensor, a potentiometer which can be turned to change the sound, and a light dependent resistor which changes the sound according to the amount of light it receives. The Slider and Touch Strip sensors let users . slide their finger across them to change the sound, while the Force sensor . changes sound depending on the amount of pressure applied to it. To turn an object into an instrument, users connect the Ototo to the item using crocodile clips. This can include plant pots, balloons, drainpipes, carboard boxes, and more, pictured here . Dentaku has also created seven different sensors that can be fitted to the board to create different sounds. This includes sensors controlled by light, touch and force. The Breath sensor, pictured, changes the sound when someone blows into it, and could be used to make a saxophone-style instrument for example . The Breath sensor changes the sound when someone blows into it, and could be used to make a saxophone-style instrument for example. And finally, the Joystick sensor looks like the analog stick on a gamepad and users can move it around to control two sounds at once. Dentaku has set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise £50,000 for the development of Ototo. The campaign ends on 2 March and the company has, so far, raised £13,500. If funded, the Ototo will go on sale in June for around £45 . Dentaku has set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise £50,000 for the development of Ototo. The campaign ends on 2 March and the company has, so far, raised £13,500. If funded, the Ototo will go on sale in June for £45 . | The Ototo synthesiser was designed by London-based firm Dentaku .
It can be fitted to inanimate objects to turn them into a musical instrument .
Users can also make music by connecting conductive items such as fruit .
Sensors are used to control the different sounds produced by Ototo .
Each Ototo is powered by battery or USB and comes with a built-in speaker .
The Ototo is due to be shipped in June this year and will cost £45 . |
38,892 | 6deb171344f3ecc7eca8992f94297f2a53654c0b | By . Lydia Warren . A mother who claimed her three-year-old daughter had been killed in a hit-and-run accident is being investigated after her story failed to match up with the medical examiner's findings. Maryanne Schwartz, 22, told police her daughter Yeliani Schwartz-Ojeda had been knocked over in the parking lot outside their Orlando, Florida apartment block on Friday evening. But the autopsy report has thrown doubt on her claims - showing the girl was malnourished and that her body temperature did not match up with the timing of the car accident, WKMG reported. The medical examiner also concluded that the little girl had bruising over her body that was from prior abuse, and reported it to the Department of Children and Families. Scroll down for video . Questions: Maryanne Schwartz, 22, (left in court) told authorities that her three-year-old daughter had been the victim of a hit-and-run accident but the autopsy has thrown doubts on the claim . The autopsy report concluded that Yeliani died of blunt force trauma, but it could not determine whether she had been struck by a car. A representative with DCF said investigators interviewed other children, who belonged to Schwartz's partner and lived in the home. The oldest child told the investigator they are hit as punishment, sometimes with sandals, but he said that the three-year-old girl had been treated the worst. 'The deceased child was always not listening and she was spanked and her hair had been pulled and different accusations of discipline due to her not listening,' said investigator Chandra Jones. All of the children have been removed from the home, WKMG reported. Among the children is Schwartz's two-year-old son, who also had bruises on his body, authorities said. Scene: She said her daughter was hit outside their apartment on Friday, pictured, but authorities said the girl had no outward injuries or blood on her body when she was found . The mother appeared for a hearing in court at the weekend but so far no arrests have been made. Schwartz had called emergency dispatchers around 9.30pm on Friday saying that her daughter had been hit by a car in the parking lot of the Grandview Pointe Apartments. She said she was taking out the trash with her daughter when she turned around and saw her daughter lying in the parking lot while a black car sped away. Investigators said the toddler had no visible injuries or blood on her body, WESH reported. The mother said she was driving her daughter to the hospital, but dispatchers asked the woman to pull over and emergency workers took the girl to Arnold Palmer Hospital, where she died. Investigators went to the family's home to collect evidence and are hoping security cameras in the apartment complex could provide clues to what happened. See below for video . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player . | Maryanne Schwartz called 911 on Friday and said her daughter, Yeliani Schwartz-Ojeda, had been hit by a car outside their Orlando apartment .
But the autopsy found the girl's temperature didn't match up with the timing of the accident, that she was malnourished and bruised .
Other children in the home told authorities that they were often beaten and the 3-year-old was treated the worst . |
63,233 | b39b6f2d64b172b1f45804bdfb50e558e9dfbb78 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 10:26 PM on 19th October 2011 . A 'sweet' two-year-old boy tragically died after choking on a pushpin at a nursery owned by his mother’s cousin. Jacorey Davis was found unresponsive at Trina's Treehouse daycare in Louisville, Kentucky, by staff on Monday and later died in hospital. His mother Jessica Davis said a nursery employee heard a bang and was shocked to see Jacorey had turned blue and was foaming at the mouth. Tragedy: Jacorey Davis was found unresponsive at Trina's Treehouse day care centre in Louisville, Kentucky, by staff on Monday and later died in hospital . Ms Davis dropped Jacorey off at the centre at 10:30am and he was found unresponsive just hours later at 2pm before being taken to hospital. ‘One of the daycare workers heard a big boom - like, maybe he had fell, and she said: "Jacorey!",' Ms Davis told WLKY News. ‘And she ran over there, and when she picked him up, he was blue and he was foaming at the mouth.’ Police do not suspect any foul play and the coroner’s office are not 100 per cent certain that the boy tried to eat the pin at the daycare centre. Shock: His mother Jessica Davis said a nursery employee heard a bang and was shocked to see Jacorey had turned blue and was foaming at the mouth . Ms Davis described the harrowing experience of arriving just before he died at the hospital and knowing that ‘basically, he was gone’. ‘One of the daycare workers heard a big boom - like, maybe he had fell, and she said, "Jacorey!"' Jessica Davis, mother . ‘It was just like a nightmare,’ she told WLKY News. ‘I was shocked.’ The boy’s grandmother Renisha Woods-Vertrees told WLKY News: ‘I want to know why my grandbaby went to daycare and came home dead.’ A spokesman for the daycare centre said staff followed the correct procedure by immediately performing CPR and calling 911. Trina's Treehouse: Ms Davis dropped Jacorey off at the centre at 10:30am and he was found unresponsive just hours later at 2pm before being taken to hospital . Ms Davis - whose cousin owns the daycare centre according to NBC affiliates - said he was ‘sweet’ and ‘touched everybody in a different way’. 'I want to know why my grandbaby went to daycare and came home dead' Renisha Woods-Vertrees, grandmother . The family had originally thought the boy had a seizure, before Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Jim Wesley revealed details about the pushpin. Ms Davis wrote on Facebook: 'Here today and gone tomorrow - we can never question God's will. I'm strong and I know everything has a purpose.' She added: ‘My son was my heart and if it was up to me God could have taken me rather than my son - but everything happens (for) a reason.’ | Jacorey Davis found unresponsive at daycare centre .
He had turned blue and was foaming at the mouth .
Taken to hospital from centre in Louisville, Kentucky . |
29,337 | 535e879e9824072cfca4344d495f3bc84312d0f8 | By . Becky Barrow . and Sarah Harris . Small firms were yesterday given a £2.5billion tax break on business rates in a desperate bid to stop empty shops blighting ailing High Streets. The Chancellor put the tax at the centre of his Autumn Statement as part of a six-pronged attempt to ease the financial burden on smaller enterprises. George Osborne said business rates ‘impose a heavy burden on businesses of all sizes’, but he was determined to fill the vacant shops. Small firms were yesterday given a £2.5billion tax break on business rates in a desperate bid to stop empty shops blighting ailing High Streets . More than 22,000 of the nation’s shops are lying empty, a wasteland equivalent to 23 city centres the size of Sheffield. Under the changes: . A discount of up to £1,000 a year for small retail businesses, such as pubs, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers, and charity shops, on their business rates bills. Not all shops will be eligible, with exclusions such as high-street betting shops and payday lenders. The discount will be available for the next two years. Firms will be allowed to spread their business rate payments over 12 months, rather than ten months, to spread the financial burden to help their cashflow. Simon Tivey, of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, said the Chancellor must beware that the changes do not just trigger ‘a merry-go-round of rate relief relocations’. A shop could, in theory, move from one empty premises to another to benefit from the discount. He also said it could lead to ‘a proliferation of charity shops’ because of the huge discounts of 80 per cent that they already get, with the prospect of a further £1,000 on top. More than 22,000 of the nation's shops are lying empty, a wasteland equivalent to 23 city centres the size of Sheffield . John Longworth, of the British Chambers of Commerce, said relentless increases in business rates have ‘sucked the life out of businesses in all parts of the UK.’ He said: ‘The Chancellor should have been bolder, freezing business rates entirely until this pernicious tax can be properly reformed.’ Liz Peace, of the British Property Federation, said: ‘The business rates regime remains one of the greatest barriers to investment in the built environment, and is fundamentally unfit for the 21st century.’ Funding will now come from the companies themselves, rather than from training providers. Steve Radley, director of policy at the EEF manufacturers’ organisation, said: 'Businesses have long been calling for a revolution in how apprenticeships are funded, and today their calls have been heard.’ Olivia Knight at her Business Premises in Brockley South East London - where she runs Patchwork Present . Business owner Olivia Knight could save hundreds of pounds a year in the long term when employers’ National Insurance contributions for workers under 21 are scrapped. She also believes new incentives for businesses to take over empty shops could help revitalise Britain’s ailing high streets. The 35-year-old has two full-time members of staff and is hoping to expand her present-buying company by taking on more. She will now seriously consider hiring younger workers to take advantage of the new incentive. Miss Knight’s company, Patchwork Present, is an online business with a shop in Brockley, South East London. If she takes on someone under 21 on a salary of £12,000, under the new rules she could save £500 a year in NI contributions. She said: ‘This could certainly help us in the future as we grow as I would certainly like to employ more young people. But she says she could only take them on if they have the right abilities. ‘If you’re a start-up company, our few workers need to have a range of skills and quite a lot of experience in order to cope with the stresses,’ she said. Patchwork Present was set up three months ago. It works by one person asking for a big present and friends and family donating small or large amounts of money to reach the total cost. Miss Knight also praised Mr Osborne’s plan to offer businesses who take over an empty shop a 50 per cent relief from business rates. She said: ‘I have just taken over an empty shop which was going to waste and the council said I wouldn’t have to pay any rates at all. The fact something like this is being introduced nationally is a great idea. Up and down the country, tragically, the High Street is changing and there are tons of empty shops where we live in South East London. ‘This is great for the community as if businesses can take over then the high streets can thrive.’ Expensive council houses will be sold off to pay for new, affordable homes. Local authorities will be urged to get rid of high-value, vacant properties. The proceeds will go to giving councils an extra £300million to borrow to build 10,000 new, affordable homes and regenerate rundown estates. Council tenants who want to move home so they can be closer to work will also get help. George Osborne said: ‘We want to regenerate some of our most rundown urban housing estates. Councils will sell off the most expensive social housing, so they can house many more families for the same money.’ He added: ‘We are going to give working people in social housing a priority right to move if they need to for a job.’ Local Government Association chairman Sir Merrick Cockell said councils had lobbied for the removal of the borrowing cap. ‘The easing of restrictions on housing investment does not go as far as we would like, but it does show that our call for more local flexibility to drive economic growth has been recognised.’ The Chancellor also announced £1billion worth of loans to developers ‘to unblock large housing developments on sites in Manchester and Leeds and across the country’. Universities in England will be allowed to recruit as many students as they want from 2015, the Chancellor announced yesterday. The Government is axing the limit on places, which means institutions will be able to expand without incurring fines. The overhaul will be funded through the sale of more student debt to private companies, amounting to £5.5billion over five years. This will fund students’ maintenance and tuition fee loans. George Osborne said the move was necessary as around 60,000 young people with the grades to study for a degree miss out on places every year due to an ‘arbitrary cap’. He added: ‘That makes no sense when we have a far lower proportion of people going to university than even the United States, let alone countries like South Korea.’ Universities Minister David Willetts said: ‘Removing the student numbers cap will free universities to recruit the students they want and give people far more choice over where to study.’ But Universities UK chief executive Nicola Dandridge said: ‘We will need to understand how this is sustainable in the long term, given that this policy is being funded in coming years by the asset sales.’ Professor Michael Gunn, chairman of the million+ think tank, said universities and students will want to know that the plans really do ‘add up’. | More than 22,000 of the nation’s shop units are lying empty .
It is a wasteland equivalent to 23 city centres the size of Sheffield .
Osborne 'business rates "impose heavy burden on businesses of all sizes"’
A business which moves into the premises of an empty retail shop, which has been vacant for more than a year, will be eligible for a 50 per cent rates discount for 18 months. To get the discount, businesses have to move in between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2016.
A discount of up to £1,000 a year for small retail businesses, such as pubs, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers, and charity shops, on their business rates bills. Not all shops will be eligible, with exclusions such as high-street betting shops and payday lenders. The discount will be available for the next two years.
Small business rates relief, which was .
due to end next spring, will be extended for a further 12 months until .
April 2015, benefiting 540,000 small firms. This allows small firms with .
a rateable value of up to £6,000 to pay no business rates, and cuts .
bills for larger firms with a rateable value of up to £12,000.
Beneficiaries of this relief will be able to keep it for one year, even .
if they expand into an additional property, which would have previously .
meant they lost the crucial relief.
Firms will be allowed to spread their business rate payments over 12 months, rather than ten months, to spread the financial burden to help their cashflow.
An extra 20,000 higher apprenticeships will be offered in England next year and the one after. |
225,353 | afd4f04571636ecc70e83e70b9fd725d174f698c | A minibus driver has been jailed for more than six years after a crash that left a young woman dead and many of her friends injured as they travelled to a hen party. Bethany Jones, 18, died in April last year while travelling to a hen party in Liverpool with 20 others, including her mother Diane and sister Amy. Minibus driver James Johnson, 64, was driving at just 5pmh on the M62 in West Yorkshire when the bus was hit from behind by a lorry. Bethany Jones (right), 18, died in April last year while travelling to a hen party in Liverpool in a minibus driven by James Johnson (left). He has been jailed after pleading guilty to causing Miss Jones's death . Johnson was driving at just 5pmh on the M62 in West Yorkshire when the bus was hit from behind by a lorry, shunting it 50 yards along the road and into a barrier, leaving it lying on its side across an exit slip road . Johnson was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison after he pleaded guilty to causing Miss Jones's death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing at Leeds Crown Court. The court heard that when Johnson was assessed after the crash it was revealed that he had suffered two mini-strokes - in 2009 and 2011 - and had an IQ of 71, with poor concentration and memory. The second stroke happened while he was driving 16 nurses in a minibus on the same motorway as the fatal crash. A collision was only avoided after one of the nurses applied the handbrake and stopped the bus. He was granted a new three-year licence in 2011 and did not inform the DVLA about his medical conditions. Sam Green, mitigating, said Johnson's mental impairment meant he did not realise he should not have been driving. The court was also told that the 24-seater coach driven by Johnson had mechanical problems and was travelling extremely slowly along the motorway when the crash happened. Trainee nurse Miss Jones was travelling with 20 other women, including her mother and sister . Johnson, from Bradford, failed to take any action to avoid the collision, ignoring warnings from passengers and other road users, who were sounding their horns. He failed to leave the motorway at the exit, pull on to the hard shoulder or use his hazard lights. Trainee nurse Miss Jones was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering multiple injuries. Bride-to-be Stefanie Firth, 24, was among the 21 people seriously injured in the crash, including Miss Jones's mother and sister. Judge Guy Kearl QC, sentencing Johnson today, said: 'You ought not to have been driving.' His defence lawyer, Mr Green said Johnson, who had one previous conviction in February 2012 for using a mobile phone while driving, had an 'overwhelming sense of guilt' about his role in the collision. Victim impact statements read to the court said the lives of the families of all the bus passengers had been affected by the crash. 'The speed of the impact was devastating to all in the coach, yourself included,' Judge Kearl told Johnson. 'Every person on the coach sustained serious injuries.' He added: 'Your passengers were 20 females aged between 18 and 59 years. They were going on a night out, a hen night. 'They were mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. Each of them had put themselves in your hands to carry them safely to their destination. They trusted you with their lives.' The judge continued: 'This event has devastated their lives and those of their husbands, partners, their parents and their boyfriends. 'It has devastated their lives physically, emotionally and, in some cases, financially.' Johnson's Mercedes minibus began showing signs of mechanical error just minutes into the hen party journey on April 26 last year. The passengers on the bus quickly became aware of signs of mechanical failure, including a smell of burning, and asked Johnson to stop the vehicle. He did stop the bus, which was later found to have a badly burnt-out clutch, and made a brief 'cursory' examination but said he could not find a problem and continued the journey. The speed of the coach gradually slowed to a crawl until it was travelling at just 5.5mph in the nearside westbound lane of the M62, just after junction 32, near Pontefract. The court heard that the 24-seater coach driven by Johnson had mechanical problems and was travelling extremely slowly along the motorway when lorry driver Kevin Ollerhead crashed into the back of the vehicle . Passenger Stacey Tulley was among the 21 people seriously injured in the crash. Above, mourners attend the funeral of Bethany Jones . It had come to a 'near standstill' when lorry driver Kevin Ollerhead, 45, crashed into the back of the vehicle, shunting it 50 yards along the road and into a barrier, leaving it lying on its side across an exit slip road. Mr Ollerhead, of St Helens, Merseyside, was found not guilty of causing the death of Miss Jones by dangerous driving after a trial at Leeds Crown Court last month. He told the court he was a professional driver and there was nothing he could have done to avoid the collision. Judge Kearl said the collision was 'an accident waiting to happen'. He said to Johnson: 'Had your coach not been struck by the heavy goods vehicle driven by Mr Ollerhead, it would have been by someone else, if there had not been an intervening miracle. Minibus driver Johnson, pictured arriving at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing today . 'This was, quite literally, an accident waiting to happen.' He continued: 'You were, in effect, together with the passengers on your coach, a sitting duck.' The judge said Johnson, who has been driving coaches since 1976, had shown a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road and the safety of other road users by failing to take action to avoid the collision. He said: 'It would have been obvious to anyone, and particularly an experienced coach driver, that travelling at those speeds was dangerous on any motorway, let alone the A1M and M62 - two of the busiest motorways in the country. 'There was an apparent disregard to the great danger posed to others, both on the road and in your coach. You had flagrantly disregarded the rules of the road by driving so slowly.' Sarah Johnson, who was on the bus at the time of the collision and was a friend of Miss Jones, read a statement outside the court on behalf of all those affected by the crash. She said: 'Today's court result will never ease the pain and suffering caused to so many by the actions of James Johnson. 'On that day, as the ladies got on to James Johnson's minibus for what was to be the start of a fun-packed weekend, nobody could have imagined the devastation that lay ahead. 'The lives of so many have been changed for evermore due to the lack of action resulting in the collision. 'The loss of Bethany is deeply felt by not only her loving family, Paul, Diane, Amy and Ryan, but all those who knew and loved her. 'We now ask that all those involved be allowed to grieve and continue to recover from their injuries in private.' Sergeant Ann Drury, of West Yorkshire Police, described the crash as a 'truly appalling incident'. She said: 'The 26 April 2013 will be a date forever etched into memories of the close-knit community of South Elmsall and it saw the commencement of a long and intricate investigation. 'James Johnson was employed as a professional driver to take a group of ladies to Liverpool for what should have been a happy and enjoyable weekend. He failed in his duty that day. 'He also failed to act when his passengers made him aware that there was a problem with the vehicle. The scene of the fatal accident in 2013 on the M62 where a Farmfoods lorry went into the back of the coach . 'The subsequent collision the bus was involved in resulted in the death of Bethany Jones and, for many, significant life-changing injuries as well as the traumatic memory of that day's events. 'I am pleased the court process has come to an end today with the sentencing of Johnson for his part in a truly appalling incident. 'Our thoughts remain with Beth's parents, wider family and all those affected by what happened on the M62 that day.' Samantha Davidson, Senior Crown Prosecutor, CPS Yorkshire and Humberside said: 'This was an appalling tragedy and my thoughts remain with Bethany's family and with all those who were injured in this incident. 'Johnson's passengers alerted him to a burning smell in the vehicle, which he briefly investigated, but, he then chose to continue his journey along the motorway. Expert evidence establishes that vehicle was travelling at no more than 5.5mph at the time of impact. 'In the face of overwhelming evidence, James Johnson pleaded guilty on 29 September to causing death by dangerous driving. 'I hope the sentence handed down today will bring some comfort to Bethany's family and friends, and to all those who were injured in this tragic incident.' A DVLA spokeswoman said: 'Britain has some of the safest roads in the world and licensing rules play an important part in keeping our roads safe. 'The rules are clear - all drivers must ensure that they are medically fit to drive and must notify DVLA of the onset or worsening of a medical condition affecting this.' | Bethany Jones, 18, died in April last year while travelling to hen party .
Minibus carrying 21 women was hit by a lorry on the M62 near Pontefract .
James Johnson was driving coach at 5mph due to problem with the clutch .
It had come to a 'near standstill' when lorry crashed into back of the vehicle .
The 64-year-old had previously suffered two mini strokes in 2009 and 2011 .
Court heard he had low IQ and suffered poor concentration and memory .
He didn't inform DVLA about medical conditions when given new licence .
Johnson pleaded guilty to causing Miss Jones's death at earlier hearing . |
157,202 | 573e35e7bfdf9fd371e3d7f550d53a67dca20564 | One year ago, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire, igniting a storm of protest that toppled his country's oppressive government in less than a month. The anger swiftly spread, as activists and bloggers, organizing through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, set off a season of revolution that is still shaking the Arab world. Yet as the first anniversary of that event approaches, a new threat to digital activism is looming -- in the United States. On Thursday the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Stop Online Piracy Act, which would force social media platforms to pro-actively monitor and censor users to prevent them from posting words or images that might violate copyright. Website operators who fail to do so could be blacklisted and prosecuted. The bill and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act, would empower the attorney general to block allegedly infringing websites based anywhere on Earth. The drafters of both bills do not mean to stifle online dissent and activism. Their goal is to protect intellectual property, especially from piracy by websites overseas. The problem is that the bills' legal and technical solutions are very similar to mechanisms that authoritarian regimes use to censor and spy on their citizens. Our organization, Global Voices Online, is an international network for citizen media. We support the protection of intellectual property; many members of our community earn all or part of their living by creating copyrighted work. We worry, though, that the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act will inflict broad unintended damage on digital activists living under repressive regimes as well as restrict speech freedoms at home. Even existing copyright law is abused in attempts to stifle criticism and public debate. Take the case of Trevor Eckhart,a security researcher who wrote a critical blog post last month about a little-known software program called Carrier IQ, which runs on millions of smartphones and logs information about users' activities. Rather than address Eckhart's claims, Carrier IQ responded with legal threats, accusing him of copyright violation because his analysis included copies of its manuals, even though the manuals were publicly available on the company's own website. After the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation came to Eckhart's defense, the company withdrew its threats and apologized. If the Stop Online Piracy Act becomes law, online speech like Eckart's will be more vulnerable to censorship. Those seeking to abuse copyright law to stifle criticism will be further empowered. To comply with the Stop Online Piracy Act, Eckart's service provider would have had to actively monitor what he was posting to prevent him from violating copyright. If there is doubt about whether a post is or isn't "infringing," website operators will be under pressure to avoid legal problems just by blocking or deleting it -- even if there is a good chance a court of law would eventually rule that it is protected speech. In countries whose judicial systems are less independent and where legal defense for bloggers is rare, abuse of copyright law to stifle activism is much easier. The Russian government last year used a crackdown on software piracy as an excuse to confiscate activists' computers. The Chinese government used copyright claims to crack down on critics of the 2008 Beijing Olympics who sometimes used modified images of the Olympic mascots in their critiques. "In China 'copyright' is one of many excuses to crack down on political movements," a Chinese blogger, Isaac Mao, told us. "If a new law like SOPA is introduced in the U.S., the Chinese government and official media will use it to support their version of 'anti-piracy.'" Amendments could narrow or eliminate some of the bills' most dangerous features. Congress could pass a better, though still problematic, bill. Yet even these efforts fail to address the deeper problem: that some members of Congress are seeking to regulate the global Internet for the benefit of the U.S. entertainment industry. At the same time, members of both parties in the House and Senate (including some sponsors of both bills) have expressed impassioned support for global Internet freedom, sometimes chastising the executive branch for not doing enough. Last week Rep. Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey, introduced a new version of the Global Online Freedom Act, which aims to punish companies that sell censorship and surveillance equipment to authoritarian regimes or support the suppression of online dissent around the world. In recent years, Congress has repeatedly allocated funds for tools that help Internet users get around those surveillance regimes. It is thus only reasonable to expect that Internet-related legislation should be consistent with Congress' repeated commitment to uphold and protect rights of Internet users globally. Contributors to Global Voices on all continents face increasingly sophisticated surveillance and censorship. Several are in jail right now because of their online activities, and others are in exile. Passage of the Stop Online Piracy Act or Protect IP will send a loud signal to governments everywhere that it is fine to monitor and censor citizens' online behavior to catch and prevent "infringing activity," which too often means political and religious dissent. The result will be a world even more dangerous and difficult for bloggers and activists than it already is. | Ivan Sigal and Rebecca MacKinnon say Congress is mulling bills to stop online piracy .
Laws would make social media platforms proactively police for copyright violations, they say .
They say drafters mean to protect copyright, but effect will be to stifle dissent .
Writers: Laws should reflect Congress' stated aim to protect rights of Internet users globally . |
157,468 | 579b0e9844b545c01ae7e28457bd002148c707d3 | Raheem Sterling started on the bench by Roy Hodgson for England’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Estonia in Tallinn after complaining of feeling tired. The Liverpool winger, who came on for Jordan Henderson after 64 minutes, did not complete training on Saturday night and spoke with the England manager. Sterling only played 45 minutes in Thursday’s 5-0 win over San Marino and was replaced by Adam Lallana at half time. Raheem Sterling, warming up during the first-half in Estonia, complained of feeling tired in training . The 19-year-old didn't complete training on Saturday night, starting the Estonia qualifier on the bench . England manager Roy Hodgson speaks with Liverpool winger Sterling during training . Sterling told Hodgson he was feeling tired during a light training session on Saturday night . talkSPORT presenter and former England striker Stan Collymore tweets about Sterling feeling tired . Former England striker Gary Lineker gives his view on Sterling feeling tired . Of the players England used against Estonia, only Gary Cahill has played more minutes this season than Raheem Sterling... Gary Cahill 1164 minutes played . RAHEEM STERLING 1079 mins . Jack Wilshere 1064 mins . Jordan Henderson 1035 mins . Calum Chambers 995 mins . Joe Hart 990 mins . Leighton Baines 990 mins . Phil Jagielka 919 mins . Danny Welbeck 836 mins . Wayne Rooney 758 mins . Fabian Delph 741 mins . Adam Lallana 538 mins . Lallana started in place of Sterling in Tallinn but after coming on the livewire forward won the free-kick from which Wayne Rooney scored for England. 'Yesterday we trained but Raheem was complaining a little about being tired and was not at his best. So we won't risk him and Lallana is in fine form,' Hodgson told ITV before the game. 'We can use him as a sub. Adam was very good against San Marino and interpreted the role behind the two attackers very well. 'They are different types of players and both feature strongly.' Given Hodgson’s comments on Thursday, it was perhaps no surprise that Lallana started. He said: ‘Lallana, when he came on for Raheem, was every bit as dangerous and inventive and creative as Raheem could be. That's nice to know.’ Sterling trained with the England substitutes before the game and took part in a game of keep ball. He then took part in shooting practice – blasting his first effort well wide, and his second over the bar. He was more effective when he came on, however. Adam Lallana replaced Sterling against San Marino on Thursday and starts in his place in Estonia . Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will hope Sterling will be fit during a busy spell of upcoming fixtures, with their next three games played within six days: Oct 19 – QPR (a), Oct 22 – Real Madrid (h), Oct 25 – Hull (h). | Adam Lallana in the England starting XI in place of Raheem Sterling .
The Liverpool winger only played 45 minutes against San Marino .
Kieran Gibbs, James Milner also out with Fabian Delph and Leighton Baines replacing them .
Sterling came on for Jordan Henderson after 64 minutes in Tallinn . |
227,716 | b2d83be0d4cc25f6cac73c0211c7774afb024734 | By . Victoria Woollaston . This modern take on the hovercraft wouldn’t look out of place alongside the likes of the high-tech Batmobile, or James Bond's Lotus Esprit. Inspired by supercars including the Bugatti Veyron and Audio R8, the Supercraft seats two people, has an Android display, and starts at $75,000 (£45,500). It can drive on land, including sand and ice, as well as sail on water from lakes, to rivers and even oceans. Designed by Chicago-based Mercier-Jones, the two-seater Supercraft, illustration pictured, costs $75,000 (£45,500) and is due to go on sale in May. It currently has a top speed of 80mph (128 km/h) on land and 40mph (64km/h) on water. It is powered by a hybrid engine and features two thruster blades on the side, pictured . Length: 170in (4.3m) Width: 85in (2.1m) Height: 48in (1.2m) Fuel Capacity: 10 gallons (38 litres) Top speed: 80mph (128km/h) on land/40mph (64km/h) on water . Other features: . Hybrid-electric drive train . Carbon fibre body and chromium alloy frame . Android display with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity . Refrigerated drink wells . Customised wood trim packages including teak, walnut and mapl. The hovercraft was designed by Chicago-based company Mercier-Jones and is due to go on sale in May. The Supercraft combines materials and features from the marine, car and aerospace industries. For example, it is made of carbon fibre and has seats inspired by those seen on Formula 1 cars. It also has side decks similar to those on a boat, and an open plane-style cockpit. The craft is described as being easier to handle and manoeuvre than traditional hovercraft, and is a quieter. It also takes advantage of thrust ports on the side, designed to boost speed. The Supercraft currently has a top speed of 80mph (128 km/h) on land, and 40mph (64km/h) on water. The Supercraft, pictured, can travel over land and water and combines materials and features from the marine, car and aerospace industries. For example, it is made of carbon fibre and has seats inspired by those seen on Formula 1 cars. It also has side decks similar to those on a boat, and an open plane-style cockpit . Ten collector's editions of the Supercraft, illustration pictured, will be available from 15 May, with 50 more units available from October . The Supercraft resembles the Batmobile car, pictured, as seen in the latest Batman films starring Christian Bale . However, Mercier-Jones is hoping to beat the hovercraft land-speed record of 56.25mph (90 km/h) during tests this summer, and is also aiming to beat the water-speed record of 86.5 mph (139km/h). A petrol engine is used to generate electricity for the two independent electric motors of the drive system. A separate battery pack is used to hold reserve power that can be applied to these motors for quick boosts in performance and thrust. The petrol engine is also isolated from the cockpit to reduce noise and pollution levels. The Chicago-based firm said the hovercraft design, illustration pictured, was inspired by elements of the Bugatti Veyron, Maserati Gran Turismo, and Audi R8 supercars . A petrol engine in the Supercraft, illustration pictured, is used to generate electricity for the two motors of the drive system. A battery pack is used to hold reserve power. The petrol engine is also isolated from the cockpit to reduce noise and pollution levels . Other features of the Supercraft, illustration pictured, include an Android display with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity plus refrigerated drink wells . Ten collector's edition will be . available from 15 May, with 50 more units manufactured in October. A Mercier-Jones spokesman said: 'Supercraft is the world's first luxury high-performance hovercraft. ‘Agile, fast, easy to pilot, the 2015 Supercraft is an advanced amphibious vehicle with style certain to draw attention. 'Mercier-Jones has patent pending technology in its revolutionary propulsion system and hybrid drive train, making the Supercraft the most innovative hand built hovercraft ever manufactured.’ | Two-seater Supercraft costs $75,000 (£45,500) and goes on sale in May .
It is made of carbon fibre with a steel frame and comes with built-in Wi-Fi .
10 collector's editions will be available at launch with 50 more units available from October .
It has a top speed of 80mph (128 km/h) on land and 40mph (64km/h) water . |
200,490 | 8f8642a68e70645de731b9f785144559ca322d26 | Police tried to smash a car window to rescue a young Queensland girl who was accidentally locked in the vehicle by her mother on Thursday. Authorities were called to the Aldi car park in Gympie, north of Brisbane, after the distressed two-year-old started to overheat. This comes as state roadside assistance bodies around Australia have revealed they are called to save thousands of children from locked cars each year, issuing a warning to parents and passersby to be extra vigilant as we enter the warmer months. Authorities were called to the Aldi car park in Gympie, north of Brisbane, after a distressed two-year-old was locked in her mother's car . On Thursday Gympie police officer Steve Buchanan tried but could not smash his way into the vehicle with his baton while waiting for roadside assistance from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) to unlock the car, The Gympie Times reported. He chipped and scratched the car but was unable to get in to the Mazda 3 hatch. After a number of minutes the RACQ arrived and were able to unlock the rear passenger door. The toddler, who was unharmed, jumped into her relieved mother's arms. The RACQ said improved safety features and remote locking technology led to about 100 incidences per month of children needing to be rescued from locked in cars in Queensland alone. A spokeswoman told the Times that cars could reach 40 degree temperatures within seven minutes, even in winter. 'Being exposed to such high temperatures in a car can kill or lead to severe injury for young children in a relatively short time,' she said. Peter Khoury, spokesman for NRMA in NSW, said they had rescued 2179 children from locked cars in the past year. 'It becomes more alarming as we come into the summer months,' Mr Khoury said. 'In summer it doesn't take very long at all for the temperature to reach as high as 80 degrees – that's almost cooking temperatures. 'It's not long at all for a child to become disoriented, agitated and then dehydrated and suffering organ failure.' Mr Khoury said people should call police or their local roadside assistance body immediately if they saw a child locked in a car. 'If they consider the child to be in danger, break the car window, don't wait,' he said. He also warned that is was illegal to leave a child unattended in a car, with the penalty carrying fines of up to $22,000. The RACV in Victoria was called to 1500 cases of children locked in cars in the year leading up to July. Victorian parliament recently discussed raising the penatly for leaving a child unattended in a car from fines of $2214 to $3690 and prison terms from one and a half months to three months. | Authorities called to Aldi car park in Gympie, to rescue two-year-old girl .
Roadside assistance bodies around Australia have revealed they are called to save thousands of children from locked cars each year .
NRMA rescued 2179 children in NSW, RACV saved 1500 in Victoria . |
267,672 | e6a98d57ec0545eb1dde5ee01d5a42d7038ac87e | Pregnant: Equalities minister Jo Swinson is due to give birth on Christmas Day . The heavily pregnant minister who stood throughout Prime Minister's Questions has insisted she does not think it would have been 'sexist' if an MP had offered her a seat. A major row erupted in Westminster after aides to Lib Dem equalities minister Jo Swinson suggested she thought it was ‘quite sexist’ to claim she was not capable of standing. But in an attempt to diffuse the row, which saw David Cameron insist offering a seat was the 'decent thing to do, Miss Swinson has insisted that all seat offers are 'welcome' and 'definitely not sexist'. The incident reignited the debate . about whether people should offer their seat to pregnant women, and . whether expectant mothers should assume they would. Mr Cameron made clear that giving up a seat for a pregnant woman was the 'decent thing' to do. Miss Swinson champions women’s rights in government and has called for a change in attitudes to new parents. But . onlookers were alarmed to see the 33-year-old standing during . throughout PMQs yesterday, while Labour, Tory and Lib Dem backbenchers . sat nearby. As David Cameron . took questions in the Commons at midday every seat was taken, leaving a . large group of MPs standing by the main doors. Miss Swinson, who is due to give birth on Christmas Day, was among them. But none of the MPs sitting just feet away offered her a seat – to the surprise of Westminster observers. James . Forsyth, political editor of The Spectator, wrote on Twitter: ‘Quite . remarkable that no MP has offered Jo Swinson, who is seven months . pregnant, a seat. 'Really shocking lack of manners and decency.’ Conservative MP Priti Patel, who was . in another part of the chamber, said: ‘I saw her standing and I thought . someone should have made the gesture of offering her a seat. She is very . heavily pregnant and it’s just the decent thing to do. ‘If I see someone on the Tube or the bus who’s pregnant, I will absolutely always get up for them.’ Yesterday aides to Miss Swinson claimed the idea that she was not capable of standing was 'sexist'. A . source close to the minister said: ‘The suggestion somehow that people . should be outraged on her behalf is ridiculous. The idea that just . because she is seven months pregnant she has lost all ability to stand . on her two feet or fend for herself is quite sexist. 'She . did not think it was an issue. If she had wanted to sit down she would . have asked to sit. She is quite capable of fulfilling her functions as a . minister – including standing and walking – while she is pregnant. She . is not somehow severely incapacitated.’ But Miss Swinson last night tried to . play down the claims. She wrote on Twitter: 'About to get on the tube - . seat offers welcome & definitely not sexist :o) But I was happier standing at pmqs yesterday.' And today she praised a 'lovely man who put my case in the overhead locker on last night's flight home'. Standing room only: None of the MPs who had secured a seat for Prime Minister's Questions gave up their place for Miss Swinson (circled) The issue of whether to offer up a seat to a pregnant woman has become increasingly vexed. In . one camp are those that argue expectant mothers are more likely to be . tired - they are carrying around another person after all - and will . appreciate the option of sitting down. But critics say the idea that a pregnant woman cannot stand up on a train or a bus is sexist and patronising. Last . year mother-to-be Meenakshi Minnis hit out at 'barbaric' passengers on a . packed Manchester tram who refused to give up their tram seat - even . though she is eight months' pregnant and needs crutches to walk. When . Kate Middleton, five months pregnant, was presented with a 'Baby On . Board' in March last year she joked she would 'wear it at home'. Yesterday the source close to Miss Swinson said the minister did not . want to ‘give a running commentary’ on whether she had been offered or . accepted seats in other circumstances, such as on public transport. ‘Sometimes . she’s in the middle of a carriage surrounded by people who are also . standing so other passengers may not see her,’ the source added. ‘She . does not necessarily feel aggrieved about that.’ Miss Swinson is a junior business minister working with Vince Cable, and has pushed for greater equality for women at work. She . has admitted the pressure of carrying a baby was taking its toll on . being a minister in the government and Lib Dem MP for East . Dunbartonshire. However Mr Cameron's official . spokesman insisted the Prime Minister thought anyone should give up . their seat for a pregnant woman. 'Take the example of public transport . - I think if you see someone who is in greater need of a seat than . yourself I think offering that seat is a good thing to do... a decent thing to do,' the . spokesman said. Asked if Mr Cameron would offer his seat to a pregnant woman if he was on a bus, the spokesman said: 'I'm sure he would.' Pressed on whether that would be a . sexist thing to do, the spokesman said: 'Offering one's seat to someone . who is in greater need than oneself on public transport? I think that's a . very understandable thing to do.' Once tipped as a future Scottish . Secretary, she admitted she will not be able to lead the charge in next . year’s independent referendum. ‘Clearly, . there will be a period when I won’t be able to be quite as active on . the doorsteps,’ she told the Independent on Sunday last month. ‘But, . yes, I want to be strongly involved in that campaign because I believe . it’s so important for the future of Scotland and, indeed, for the future . of the UK.’ She is also adamant that she will not take ministerial red boxes while on maternity leave. ‘I . am still very committed and enjoy my job and want to come back to . continue doing that, but I think having a bit of time to do that early . bonding is also really important.’ | Equalities minister left without a seat during 30-minute Commons session .
Source said it is ‘quite sexist’ to suggest she was not capable of standing .
But in a tweet she sought to diffuse row saying she was happy to stand .
Downing Street says David Cameron would always give up his seat . |
154,589 | 53c456436cd8c3b5c807878dd4db1e5dd4efa7e2 | Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) -- Blood and body parts littered the ground outside Turkey's embassy in Somalia on Saturday afternoon, the grisly result of a blast that police said left six dead and nine wounded. A minivan packed with explosives went off around 5 p.m. in the heart of Mogadishu, just a few meters from the Turkish diplomatic post, said police Col. Ahmed Mohamud. When it was over, two Somali security guards, a university student and three attackers were dead, according to Mohamud. Turkish embassy sources said that two of its staff members were among the wounded. Somali police and Turkish embassy guards, meanwhile, converged on the scene. Mangled buses and cars ended up in a disfigured heap, while the windows of numerous nearby apartments were shattered. Al-Shabaab -- a militant Islamist group with connections to al Qaeda -- claimed responsibility for the attack. "We are behind the martyrdom explosion," the group claimed via Twitter. "The Turkish were our main target." The U.S. government reacted Saturday to "the terrorist attack" by pledging its solidarity with Turkey, "the people of Somalia ... and all members of the international community who are working for peace and stability in Somalia." "This cowardly act will not shake our commitment to continue working for the brighter, more democratic and prosperous future the people of Somalia deserve," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud similarly blasted what he called "an act of cowardly desperation by terrorists" against one of his nation's "most determined and dependable allies." He lauded Turks' "tireless efforts" over the past two years to help build new schools and hospitals, among other contributions. "I condemn this criminal act of terrorism and my government and security forces will do everything it can to catch those who planned and directed it," Hassan said. "We must continue to stand firm against those who seek to destroy this country and, with the brave support of our allies, we must double our efforts to deliver the peaceful future the Somali people so desperately want." Saturday's bombing was the second major attack in Mogadishu in a few days: On Wednesday, at least one person died in the capital after a bomb hidden in a lawmaker's car blew up. The targeted member of Parliament, Sheikh Adan Mader, and other lawmakers were out of the car when the blast occurred and were unharmed, police said. Designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government in 2008, al-Shabaab has waged a war with Somali's government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law in the country. Its forces were pushed out of Mogadishu in summer 2011 by Somali and other African forces, raising hopes of a return to relative security in a city after about 20 years of violence. But the militants have persisted by maintaining control of large rural areas of southern and central Somalia and staging guerrilla-style attacks. In one such attack that al-Shabaab took credit for, in June, at least 14 people died and 15 were wounded in an attack on U.N. headquarters in Mogadishu. In addition to its volatile security situation, Somalia has been plagued by famine. A May report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network, found that 258,000 Somalis had died in the famine between October 2010 and April 2012. Half of the famine victims were children younger than 5. Journalist Omar Nor reported from Somalia, and CNN's Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta. | NEW: Somali president decries what he calls an "act of cowardly desperation"
A minivan full of explosives blows up outside Turkish embassy in Mogadishu .
Two security guards, a student and three attackers die, Somali police say .
Islamist militant group al-Shabaab claims responsibility . |
170,061 | 681ae09371a47fbad06ce16b5460dbca5c314310 | Joshua R. Hensler, social media manager at US Airways, calls himself a 'web alchemist' and 'aggressive engineer of perception' on his LinkedIn profile. His boasts will be taken in a very different light today as he emerged as a manager at the US Airways social media team behind what has been branded the 'worst tweet of all time'. An employee sparked a firestorm on Twitter yesterday after an extremely graphic picture of a woman engaged in a sex act with a model Boeing 777 was tweeted to a customer who complained about her Spring Break flight - and to its 418,000 followers. Scroll down for video . 'Web alchemist' and 'aggressive engineer of perception': Joshua R. Hensler, the social media manager at US Airways has apparently called the employee responsible a 'giant a**hole' Graphic: US Airways has apologized after their official Twitter account tweeted an extremely inappropriate photo (which MailOnline has blanked over) on Monday afternoon . It quickly became one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter - a dream for any social media manager. But for Hensler it wasn't the 'perception engineering' he had in mind. While it is not yet known which employee was behind the monumental error, Hensler apparently had some choice words for him or her. Reacting today in the only way he would - on social media - he posted on Facebook: 'Whenever someone says: "I'm sorry, it's just who I am." What they really mean is: "I am a giant a**hole and have no plans of improving myself as a human"'. He has since deleted the message from his public profile. This was hours after he posted, in a huge understatement: 'I've seen better days'. Hensler, who works out of the airline's headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, was unavailable for comment. But a spokesman for USAirways' partner American Airlines said Hensler had no involvement with the incident and was not managing the team. The spokesman claimed the Facebook messages were unrelated. The 30-year-old, who says on Facebook he is in an open relationship, went to Westminster College in Pennsylvania, and boasts on his LinkedIn profile that he is the 'Captain of Crunch Time' and his responsibilities include being part of the Crisis and Communications Response Team. Those skills will be sorely needed now. Choice words: Hensler reacts, appropriately on Facebook, to the monumental error that has attracted all the wrong sort of attention to US Airways . Captain of Crunch Time: Hensler talks the language of the internet on his LinkedIn profile . US Airways has had to profusely apologize for the mistake which has spawned a torrent of puns mocking the airline online. Today, the airline said it will not fire the employee, adding that it was an 'honest mistake' and and an 'attempt to flag the tweet as inappropriate'. 'We captured it, flagged it as inappropriate,' a spokesman for the airline said. 'We are in the midst of reviewing our processes but for the most part we have an understanding of what happened and how to ensure how it won't happen in the future.' It all started when the image was initally posted to the USAirways Twitter stream by a user. It was flagged as inappropriate by the team that manages their Twitter account. But then a young woman, Alex, tweeted directly to US Airways early on Monday morning that her flight to Portland had been delayed - demanding 'free stuff' because her vacation was off to a bad start. In reply, the airlines official Twitter account replied, 'We don’t like to hear this, Alex. Please provide feedback to our Customer Relations team here,' and attached the explicit photograph of the nude woman out to its followers 'by accident'. US Airways said: 'We apologize for an . inappropriate image recently shared as a link in one of our responses. We’ve removed the tweet and are investigating.' The . tweet was deleted but spent 22 minutes online - enough time to cause a . frenzy of sharing among incredulous users of the social media app. Incredulous: The public's reaction to US Airways staggering tweet ranged from humor to sympathy for whoever was responsible . The replies to the offensive tweet ranged from laughter to outrage. The image in question was attached to a . tweet sent to @AmericanAir at 1:59PM, 30 minutes before US Airways sent . out a tweet with the same image attached. American Airlines and US . Airways use the same social media tool, SNAP100. The . timing was particularly amusing since it overlapped with the . announcement of the Pulitzer Prize winners and gained more traffic . online. The tweet is . even more embarrassing for US Airways as they prepare for their merger . with American Airlines which will create the world's largest airline . company. Help! Hensler boats he is part of the crisis response team at US Airways . Do you know who is responsible for the social media faux pas at US Airways? Please phone the MailOnline at 212 775 8126 . | US Airways social media manager Joshua R. Hensler reacted to the humiliation of tweet which caused a firestorm on Twitter .
Left red-faced after pornographic picture sent attached to replies about late flights to customers .
The image and tweet was online for around 22-minutes - but was shared millions of times when it was sent to 418,000 of the airline's followers .
Hensler said on Facebook: 'Whenever someone says "I'm sorry, it's just who I am." What they really mean is: "I am a giant a**hole"'
US Airways today said it will not fire the worker and denied Hensler was the manager of the team involved or had any involvement with the situation .
Offensive image originally sent to US Airways partner American Airlines in bad taste .
It was re-sent to appalled customers in error after it was supposed to be marked 'inappropriate'
US Airways has issued an apology and begun an investigation .
Do you know who is responsible for the social media faux pas at US Airways? Please phone the MailOnline at 212 775 8126 . |
234,781 | bbf1388caf0cc127001e1c493a76c1cad50f25b6 | By . Glen Owen, Mail on Sunday Political Correspondent . Home Secretary Theresa May faced a revolt last night after one of her own Ministers refused to implement a drugs ban. Liberal Democrat Drugs Minister Norman Baker is defying Mrs May’s order to criminalise khat, a plant chewed to give users a high and used predominantly in East African immigrant communities. Mr Baker – who once said cannabis was ‘no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco’ – has told Mrs May he disagrees with her plan to ban the substance, and flatly refused to act on it. Clash: Theresa May has since stripped Norman Baker (right) of responsibility for criminalising the drug khat . His rebellion has forced Mrs May to strip him of responsibility for enforcing the ban and give it to Organised Crime Minister Karen Bradley, a Tory who holds more hardline views. Mr Baker’s refusal is a demonstration of his political rift with Mrs May, who was said to be ‘spitting tacks’ at the Lib Dem’s appointment to her department last autumn. Drug: Ethiopian farmer Ahmed Mume with a khat plant in 2003 . He is distinctly to her Left on a number of issues, including immigration controls and ‘snooping’ powers. Mrs May is planning to categorise khat as a class C drug, which would make its importation, possession and supply a criminal offence. She last week rejected calls for a rethink from the Home Affairs Committee, whose chair, Labour MP Keith Vaz, has spoken of chewing khat in the past. It argued there was no compelling evidence the drug was harmful – and police would risk ‘antagonism’ when targeting communities which use it. Some experts, however, have linked khat to depression, irritability, psychotic episodes and violence. Last summer the Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs also recommended that khat not be criminalised. But Mrs May has said her decision is based on an ‘extensive consultation process’. Mr Baker insisted last night the khat ban was not part of his portfolio because the decision was made before he joined the department. But a Lib Dem source said Mr Baker had told Mrs May face-to-face he opposed her decision. ‘The fact that Bradley covers organised crime, which is sort of linked to the khat trade, was his get-out-of-jail card,’ the source said. Despite their differences, Mr Baker’s friends say that he ‘gets on well with Mrs May on a personal level’. | The drug is chewed to give users in immigrant communities a small high .
Home Secretary wanted it made class-C for 'links to psychotic episodes'
But drugs minister Norman Baker said that would antagonise communities . |
176,343 | 70497d6e2d886e397ce3dae0480bf7330e14021f | After 65 years of marriage, one Brazilian couple's bond was so strong they stayed together even in death. Italvino and Diva Poss passed away in the same hospital room, side-by-side, only 40 minutes apart. Italvino, 89, had been hospitalized with leukemia since last August. Italvino and Diva Poss passed away in the same hospital room, side-by-side, only 40 minutes apart after almost 70 years together . The pair had 10 children and 14 grandchildren, who remembered the couple as a legendary romance . Meanwhile, Diva was receiving chemotherapy for a tumor, Express UK reports. Diva reportedly asked family to gather at the hospital sometime last week as her condition worsened. 'She felt that her time was coming and asked to see her relatives,' grandson Rafael Max told reporters. 'My grandfather went to [her room in the] hospital too. They had a private conversation together and after that they both seemed at peace with everything.' The Huffington Post reports that nurses moved Italvino into a vacant bed next to Diva then moved the beds together so the couple could hold hands. Italvino was the first to go. Nurses moved Italvino into a vacant bed next to Diva then moved the beds together so the couple could hold hands . 'After he died my aunt whispered in my grandmother's ear that my grandfather had passed away in peace,' Rafael said. 'At that moment she became more peaceful. It was as if he had opened the doors for her to go to, as if he was arranging for them both to be together forever.' Just 40 minutes later, Diva had died too. 'I've never seen anything like it,' Rafael said. The couple first met at a dance in 1948, where Italvino was smitten at first sight. '[My grandfather] always said that they had been married for a year longer, because he counted it from the day they met,' Rafael said. 'He considered their marriage one eternal date.' They were never apart for a day and every morning Italvino cooked Diva breakfast. He even made sure the garden was filled with her favorite vegetables. The had 10 children and 14 grandchildren, who remembered the couple as a legendary romance. | Italvino and Diva Poss were both in the hospital to be treated for separate ailments .
Nurses moved their beds together so the couple could hold hands in their final moments .
Italvino passed away first, with a peaceful Diva following shortly after . |
52,514 | 94cbb116c0cc4ad00801c26e16270a81f130f7f3 | One of Britain's most picturesque railway lines, which cost £35 million to repair when it was nearly destroyed by winter storms in February, is in peril again after 'huge' cracks appeared in it. Gaping holes appeared in the sea wall which protects the main railway line through Dawlish, Devon after it was battered by storms on Tuesday. In early February the track was swept away with part of the sea wall cutting off the service linking Cornwall and much of Devon with the rest of the UK. Scroll down for video . Dawlish's railway line (pictured) cost £35 million to repair when it was nearly destroyed by storms in February - and now new cracks have appeared in it after a storm battered it yesterday . Gaping holes (pictured) appeared in the sea wall which protects the main railway line through Dawlish, Devon after it was battered by storms yesterday . A 300-strong Network Rail team rebuilt the track at a cost of £35 million. In total, £15 million was spent repairing the area outside Dawlish station where track had been left dangling. It cost an additional £20 million to repair tracks either side of the town. Now a 20-foot long stretch of the sea wall has been damaged again leaving gaping holes and precariously exposed coping stones. The sea wall at Dawlish regularly suffers minor damage after a storm due to its close proximity to the sea . In early February the track was swept away with part of the sea wall - cutting off the service linking Cornwall and much of Devon with the rest of the UK . Dawlish residents took to social media to express their concerns over yesterday's damage. Rob Coleman said: 'I fear for the future of the route. I have said all along that there is an agenda out there to get it changed - things like today, although exaggerated, does not help the town one bit. 'The business fraternity west of us will not want a train line down again for any length of time.' Elliot Watson said: 'The sea will always win...simple.' Rebecca Marett added: 'Ultimately the same destructive thing will happen at some point in the future, it's the sea.' And Tony Russell said: 'Much bigger storms to come yet.' A Network Rail spokesman said: 'The sea wall at Dawlish regularly suffers minor damage after a storm due to its close proximity to the sea. 'This is why a team is permanently tasked with checking the wall daily and carrying out minor repairs. 'The minor damage that occurred during last night's storm was not to the new section of the wall and will be repaired shortly.' In total, £15 million was spent repairing the area outside Dawlish station where track had been left dangling . Julian Burnell from Network Rail added: 'I'm not too worried about this. It is pretty much business as usual at Dawlish. 'We had a thumping storm and that is why we have a team of men that have for many years gone up and down that wall all the time checking for damage and fixing it. 'In this case the coping stones at the top of the wall have been hit enough to loosen them so we closed the walkway to assess the damage. 'But we will fix the stones back in position - this is the kind of thing we deal with at Dawlish every day. 'Everybody is very sensitive after the catastrophe in February - this is nothing to worry about on that scale.' Oliver Colvile MP said the disruption demonstrated that the South West needs a more resilient railway line. He said: 'The idea that we are going to have this railway line that is going to break on a regular basis just isn't good enough. 'I want to make sure that we have a railway line that is a resilient one and also an alternative in case anything happens like last February and today.' Dawlish boasts one of Britain's most picturesque railway lines - but it is constantly being battered by the sea . | Gaping holes appeared in the sea wall which protects track following storm .
In February part of the track was swept away causing chaos and disruption .
Residents fear for the future of the track which is constantly damaged .
But Network Rail say minor damage is to be expected so close to the sea .
Said damage was not to new section of wall and will be repaired shortly . |
200,207 | 8f2dc1bc21d256fa6e5586c5b8e2333141890539 | David Haye has stepped up his training as he prepares to return to the ring. The former heavyweight world champion confirmed last weekend that he would fight this autumn, more than two years after he stopped Dereck Chisora at Upton Park. And the 33-year-old has also posted video clips of his training regime on Instagram. VIDEO: David Haye trains in the gym ahead of comeback . Haye can be seen performing pull-ups, dips and punching the speed bag in his Vauxhall gym. On Saturday he told iFL TV: 'I'll have nights in the future to talk about. If I was a betting man, I'd bet that I'll fight in September or October.' The Londoner was at Wembley on Saturday night to see his friend Carl Froch knock out his former training partner George Groves in front of 80,000 fans. Haye twice pulled out of a clash with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury last year, first with a cut suffered in sparring and then after rupturing tendons in his shoulder. A five-hour operation last November looked set to bring down the curtain on his illustrious career but Haye has gradually stepped up his training. Old friends: David Haye (right) speaks to Carl Froch after his victory over George Groves at Wembley . And last week, his trainer and manager Adam Booth confirmed a comeback was imminent. Speaking to the Daily Express, he said: 'It's true, 100 per cent true, David is coming back. 'We will not be making any big announcement but David has been given the all clear by his medical people and he wants to fight again. 'We plan to get back in the ring before the end of the year and preferably by October. 'David has started training and there is no need to keep this a secret any longer. He has been trying to recuperate for five and a half months and only now has he been given the all clear to fight again.' Haye will have one eye on the second of this year's British grudge rematches when Fury takes on Chisora at the Manchester Arena in July. Last time out: Haye has not fought since he knocked out Dereck Chisora at Upton Park two years ago . Down and out: Haye stopped Chisora in the fifth round of their grudge match at West Ham's ground . The pair first met in 2011 with Fury winning a unanimous decision over an overweight and unfit Chisora at Wembley Arena. The winner in Manchester will be installed as the mandatory challenger to world champion Wladimir Klitschko and it is unlikely that either man would risk that position for a fight with Haye. Another option for the former unified cruiserweight world champion is Bermane Stiverne who won the vacant WBC title after Vitali Klitschko's decision to retire. Stiverne beat Chris Arreola last month but has his own mandatory due against knockout sensation Deontay Wilder, a former sparring partner of Haye. The American has stopped each of his 31 opponents and is yet to go beyond the fourth round as a professional. Clash of the titans: Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury ahead of their rematch in Manchester next month . New champion: Bermane Stiverne (right) beat Chris Arreola to win the WBC heavyweight title last month . | David Haye will return to the ring in September or October .
The former heavyweight world champion has not fought since July 2012 .
He could target winner of Dereck Chisora vs Tyson Fury in July .
WBC champion Bermane Stiverne is another option for Haye .
Londoner watched Carl Froch knock out George Groves at Wembley . |
286,735 | ff81b631115391db088a24350f95650cebce72af | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:40 EST, 30 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:41 EST, 30 September 2013 . Charged: Karen Worley Drake, 51, pictured, was arrested Sunday night after she failed sobriety exercises and refused to adhere to a breath test . A Florida woman has been charged with driving under the influence after police caught her half naked and stinking of booze inside her car with an empty box of booze and her dog. Karen Worley Drake, 51, was arrested on Sunday night after she failed sobriety exercises and refused to adhere to a breath test. Drake's car was parked halfway onto SW 129th Terrace Road in Dunnellon in Marion County just after 10 p.m. A sheriff's deputy noticed Drake, of Lady Lake, and her dog inside the four-door vehicle and walked over. He then asked her to open her car door. 'I could smell a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage,' the deputy said in a police report. The deputy then noticed Drake was completely naked from the waist down. He instructed her to dress herself after spotting some pants in the vehicle. When he told her that she was under arrest, the woman became aggressive, the deputy wrote. 'I advised the defendant that she was under arrest for DUI and she became uncooperative and briefly struggled with me,' he wrote in the report. Booked: The Lady Lake woman remains in the Marion County Jail, pictured, with a $1,000 bond, while the dog was placed into the custody of Marion County Animal Services . She remains in the Marion County Jail with a $1,000 bond. The dog was placed into the custody of Marion County Animal Services. According to the report, this is Drake's second DUI offense. She is next due in court on October 30. | Florida woman, Karen Worley Drake, 51, was arrested on Sunday night after she failed sobriety exercises and refused to adhere to a breath test .
Drake's car was parked halfway onto SW 129th Terrace Road in Dunnellon in Marion County just after 10 p.m .
A sheriff's deputy noticed Drake, of Lady Lake, and her dog inside the four-door vehicle and walked over .
He then noticed Drake was completely naked from the waist down and smelled alcohol . |
58,417 | a5a13f0e9f2039fca26d86f44105c30d42e99e06 | It is a child's worst nightmare, living at school. But few would mind their parents relocating to this 37-acre former boarding school - complete with an open-air swimming pool, tennis courts, and a caving centre. On the market for £3 million, Howell's School in Denbigh, north Wales, has sparked a flurry of interest, with would-be buyers clamouring for the Grade II-listed structure. Grandeur: This is the Grade II-listed main building of Howell's Independent Girls' School, which has gone on the market for £3 million after going into liquidation . Extravagant: Would-be buyers of the 37-acre estate in Denbigh, north Wales, could have their breakfasts in this open-plan dining hall once used by boarders . Common room: There would be no need to clamour for sofa space on a Saturday night in this living room - one of many across the five buildings on the site . The independent girls' school, which opened in 1859, closed in September last year when the company that took over the building went into liquidation. H2000 was found to have almost £500,000 in debts in August 2013 - forcing the school to refund all deposits with just a month until the start of term. Though external tutors are currently using the facilities to teach language lessons, the entire grounds could soon be transformed into a home. Made up of five buildings, it includes three boarding houses and the former principal’s house along with the main block. It covers 37 acres of the tranquil Vale of Clwyd and facilities include an open-air . swimming pool, four tennis courts, squash courts, a climbing wall, a . caving centre and an equestrian centre. Historic: The oak-panelled hallways with spiralling staircases were built in 1859. The school acted as a haven for young ladies throughout both World Wars . Idyllic: Would-be buyers have rushed to register their interest in the sprawling estate which has four tennis courts, a swimming pool and even a caving centre . Dream playground: The vast plains of land set in the tranquil Vale of Clwyd have acted as a sports field for hundreds of pupils for more than a century . Making a school a home: The new owner will have the chance to change the purpose of the five buildings on the sprawling site from educational to private . Though it is currently registered for 'educational purposes', the new owner will have the chance to change it to 'private'. The school, whose Latin motto was 'Only God be honour and glory', was originally built in 1858 for 55 boarders and 50 day girls. It acted as a haven for hundreds of young ladies during both World Wars, where they escaped the atrocities and lived a sheltered life of sports games and creative arts. By 2013, boarders paid £7,000-a-year, and day girls paid £4,000-a-year. Former . pupils at the school include actress Nerys Hughes, best known for her . role in 70s sitcom The Liver Birds, and Steps singer Lisa Scott-Lee. Ace: Would-be buyers could host a mini tennis tournament in their back garden with this impressive set of courts set behind the historic turrets of the house . Quaint: Shrouded in a cluster of luscious trees, this comparatively small building with floor-to-ceiling windows was once home to Howell School's principal . Giddy up: Let's hope the new owner has plenty of hobbies or this state-of-the-art equestrian centre, with balconies to watch the action, will go to waste . Take a dip: This is the brick building that encloses the open-air swimming pool on a hill in the Vale of Clwyd, with a set of wooden climbing bars outside . It has been listed for sale by Jackson Stops and Staff who said the property is unlike any other. Crispin Harris, from the estate agent, said: 'It has only just been advertised but we are receiving a lot of interest. 'At . present it is designated for educational purposes and any purchaser . would have to consider whether to apply for planning consent for change . of use.' | Howell's School in Denbigh, north Wales, went into liquidation last July, estate now up for sale for £3 million .
Independent girls' school built in 1859, sheltered young ladies through both World Wars with sports and arts .
Consists of three boarding houses, former principal's house, main Grade II-listed block with 37 acres of land .
Comes with open-air swimming pool, four tennis courts, squash courts, a climbing wall, a caving centre, paddocks .
New owners will have to change building's purpose from 'educational' to 'private' if they want to live there . |
227,699 | b2d37741518a035d0d15fd78e04cb692fcc60f4e | By . Ashley Collman . An American Airlines flight was cancelled Sunday afternoon when a push-back truck crashed into the nose of the plane. Flight 140 from Baltimore to Dallas/Fort Worth was in the process of boarding around 4:10 when the crash happened. The roof of the truck hit the fiberglass cone holding the plane's radar equipment while the cab smashed through the landing gear. The pilot immediately called the communications tower to send help. Good job! The flight bound for Dallas was cancelled Sunday when the push-back truck crashed into the nose of the plane . Minor collision: The female driver of the truck was taken to the hospital for knee pain and released. No one else was injured in the incident . 'Something didn’t work as intended and the push-back tractor struck the landing gear,' American Airlines spokesman Kent Powell told the Dallas Morning News. Airline officials are still trying to determine whether it was a mechanical failure or the fault of the push-back truck driver. The driver, an unnamed woman, was taken to the hospital for knee pain after the crash and released. No other injuries were reported. The flight was cancelled and the plane taken out of service to be inspected by engineers who will determine the extent of the damage. Everyone on board de-planed and another aircraft was brought in to carry the 117 passengers on to Texas . Powell said events like these happen often in the airline industry. | The collision happened on a Sunday afternoon flight from Baltimore to Dallas .
No one was seriously injured in the incident although the driver of the push-back truck was taken to the hospital for knee pain and released .
The airline is still investigating the cause of the crash .
The flight was cancelled and the plane taken out of commission while a new aircraft was brought in to take the 117 passengers on to Texas . |
137,972 | 3e72144a1204f2648acf1602634b9b2b3c43cc1c | A map of the Earth, released by Nasa last year, revealed something fishy going on off the coast of Argentina. Around 300 miles offshore, a city of lights was appearing in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. The strange lights were perplexing as there are no humans, fires or gas wells in that region. A global composite map of Earth's night lights revealed human activity well offshore from South America . What is there however, according to Nasa, are fishing boats with lights powerful enough to be seen in space. The lights were spotted using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi NPP satellite. According to Nasa, the night fishermen are hunting for Illex argentinus, a species of short-finned squid. The squid are found tens to hundreds of kilometres offshore from roughly Rio de Janeiro to Tierra del Fuego. The offshore illumination comes from arrays of green LED lights used to attract squid to the sea surface . Illex argentinus are a species of short-finned squid. They are found tens to hundreds of kilometres offshore from roughly Rio de Janeiro to Tierra del Fuego. They live 80 to 600 meters below the surface, feeding on shrimp, crabs, and fish. Lights cause the squids food to be attracted to the surface of the ocean . This, in turn, this attracts the squid to the surface where they are easier for fishermen to catch with jigging lines. Scientists first noted such . night-lighting of the seas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, while . compiling the first maps of the Earth at night. They live 80 to 600 meters below the surface, feeding on shrimp, crabs, and fish. ‘In turn, Illex are consumed by larger finfish, whales, seals, sea birds, penguins ... and humans,’ said Nasa. Scientists first noted such night-lighting of the seas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, while compiling the first maps of the Earth at night. ‘Squid aggregate in high concentrations at the shelfbreak because it is a very productive area during austral spring and summer,’ explained Marina Marrari, a biological oceanographer with Argentina’s Servicio de Hidrografia Naval. At the shelfbreak front, microscopic plant-like organisms explode in population in various seasons. This ‘grass of the sea’ feeds zooplankton and fish, which then become food for Illex argentinus and other marine creatures. The map shows the distribution of chlorophyll in March 2012 along the coast of South America. The amount of chlorophyll is a measure of how much phytoplankton is growing near the surface. Brighter whites and yellows show the areas with the highest concentrations; blues and green have low concentrations . To draw the plankton and fish that the squid eat to the surface, fishermen use powerful lights, generating as much as 300 kilowatts per boat. Squid follow their prey toward the surface, where they are easier for fishermen to catch with jigging lines. For many squid, the zooplankton and fish they follow is the last meal they will eat. In the South Atlantic, Argentine and Falklands citizens have exclusive rights to fish out to 200 miles. As the map suggests, ships from other nations work as close to that border as they can to get a share of the squid fishing. Scientists first noted such night-lighting of the seas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, while compiling the first maps of the Earth at night. In this image taken from space, over the course of nine nights, fishing boats shift positions while hugging the borders of the exclusive economic zones of Argentina and the Falkland Islands . | The lights shone in a region were there are no humans, fires or gas wells .
Nasa says they are caused by fishermen using 300kW lights to catch squid .
Satellite maps show how the boats hug the borders of the exclusive economic zones where they are allowed to fish . |
145,068 | 47a07cd5d5f38783946086e31e5dd83175646100 | Aaron Ramsey has launched a staunch defence of under-fire manager Arsene Wenger after hailing ‘the best’ goal of his career. The Wales midfielder helped eased the pressure on the Arsenal boss with a wonder goal — an outrageous left-footed strike from 30 yards — in the comfortable 4-1 win away to Galatasaray in Istanbul on Tuesday night. Wenger has been the target of heavy criticism from a section of supporters following the club’s disappointing start to the season in the Barclays Premier League. Arsene Wenger has endured some tough criticism from Gunners supporters in recent weeks . Arsenal fans displayed a banner calling for Wenger to step down before the recent game against West Brom . And Ramsey has defended his manager from the hurtful jibes from the stands. ‘Every player here wants to work hard for him, we have proven that again against Galatasaray,’ said Ramsey. ‘He has been under some unfair criticism, but we are all out there, are in it together. We wanted to get the result for us and for him. ‘I think whenever we go into a game, he knows our qualities, always believes in us and gives us a great feeling going into games. ‘Every time we go out there we are representing ourselves, our club and our manager.’ Ramsey, after an early-season blip, is now approaching the form that saw him win the club’s player of the year award last term. Ramsey (left) fires a long-range shot towards goal as Arsenal too Galatasaray apart . His super strike in Turkey was testament to that — and Ramsey has warned Arsenal’s rivals that he feels close to his best. ‘I have seen the goal back, and it is definitely the best I have scored,’ he said. ‘As soon as I hit it, I thought it had a chance of going in and thankfully it went into the top corner. ‘My best goal before this one? I like the volley at Norwich last season, probably that one.’ He added: ‘I felt good at the Manchester United game last month, I am getting sharper in every game. I am feeling good and hopefully now I can play my part as the team go on a run.’ Lukas Podolski also scored twice, having been linked with a January move away following a lack of first-team opportunities. The German forward told Arsenal’s website: ‘For me it was important to play 90 minutes and keep going. It is not always easy to come in and do well, so it was good for me to do that.’ | Arsene Wenger was heckled by Arsenal fans after the 3-2 loss to Stoke .
Arsenal fans also displayed a banner calling for Wenger to step down during the Gunners match against West Brom .
Wenger guided Arsenal to a 4-1 win over Galatasaray on Tuesday .
Aaron Ramsey scored a stunning long-range effort during that win . |
67,477 | bf713c8c2b76aa9b9198aaf74b57e3a8fb430a80 | More than a week after results declared his defeat, the tea party-backed candidate in Mississippi's GOP primary for the U.S. Senate notified Sen. Thad Cochran on Thursday that he plans to challenge the outcome. State Sen. Chris McDaniel's campaign served papers to Cochran's son, Clayton, with notice of intent to challenge the results, citing allegations of improper crossover voting, according to the Clarion-Ledger of Mississippi. McDaniel's team had dispatched volunteers across the state to investigate election results in the state's 82 counties. An outside group has already filed a lawsuit in federal court. McDaniel's campaign has retained a legal team and is urging supporters to donate to the campaign legal fund. The challenge was filed with the state Republican Party executive committee, as required by law, the Clarion-Ledger reported, and an official court challenge could come as early as next week. Campaign staffers and 150 volunteers have already combed through voting records in 51 counties and claim to have identified nearly 5,000 "irregularities," which are mostly tied to people who were ineligible to vote in the state's June 24 runoff election, McDaniel campaign spokesman Noel Fritsch said. The McDaniel campaign announced earlier Thursday that it is offering 15 rewards of $1,000 each for individuals who "provide evidence leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in voter fraud." Donations to the campaign's legal coffers will help fund the rewards. McDaniel supporters called foul after Cochran's campaign and allies turned to African-Americans and other traditionally Democratic voters to help push the incumbent to victory in the primary runoff. Cochran had finished about 1,500 votes short of McDaniel in the primary three weeks earlier, but a third candidate kept McDaniel under the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Winning strategy likely to stay in Mississippi . Voters who cast a ballot in the Democratic primary on June 3 were not allowed to vote in the Republican primary runoff last week. Predicting ineligible votes, conservative groups hired former Justice Department official Christian Adams to train and oversee election observers to monitor polls and note questionable voter activity. Adams declined to comment for this story and deferred to the groups he is working with, like FreedomWorks, which he said he may represent in a potential legal challenge. FreedomWorks Executive Vice President Adam Brandon said the group's activists have been helping the McDaniel campaign review election results and will support the campaign if it moves forward with its intent to challenge -- which could come as soon as early next week. Mississippi primary spending surge pushes advertisers off the air . "We'll ask some of our members to raise the necessary funds to fund such a challenge, and we're standing by and ready to go, period," Brandon said. "It's now up to the folks in Mississippi to figure out what the next steps are." Challenger's camp: 'irregularities' growing . The number of inadmissible votes the McDaniel camp said it discovered jumped from about 3,300 to nearly 5,000 on Wednesday after the campaign reviewed records in a dozen more counties. The irregularities fall short of Cochran's nearly 7,000-vote margin of victory, but McDaniel's campaign is confident it will hit that number after reviewing the results from the remaining third of Mississippi counties. Shortly before a bizarre turn of events Wednesday when McDaniel supporters crashed a Cochran conference call with reporters, Cochran campaign spokesman Austin Barbour called out the McDaniel camp for drawing out a divisive primary battle. "I just think the time has come now for the McDaniel campaign to put up or shut up," Barbour said at a news conference Wednesday and later that . Fritsch criticized Barbour's remarks in an interview with CNN and said he hopes those are not the views of the Cochran campaign. "I find it troublesome that Austin Barbour would call for a movement being led by the people, which is in the pursuit of truth and in the pursuit of the maintenance of electoral integrity, to shut up," Fritsch said. Fewer wins this time, but tea party has changed the GOP . The McDaniel campaign can only file a formal complaint after the state GOP sends certified election results to the Mississippi secretary of state, according to the state party's communications director, Bobby Morgan. The Mississippi Republican Party's executive committee and representatives from both campaigns met Tuesday, but the committee did not certify election results, Morgan said, adding that just over half of the counties had so far submitted their results. Morgan said the state party has followed the law throughout the election. "We're looking forward to the fall campaign. We want to resolve this as soon as possible," he said. "Republicans have a real legitimate chance to retake the Senate and we want to do all we can to make sure the (Mississippi) seat remains in Republican hands." Group says requests to view records was denied . True the Vote, a conservative group, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court against the Mississippi secretary of state and the executive committee of the state's Republican Party, after it analyzed electoral turnout and other data and was "inundated" with reports of election violations. The lawsuit alleges that voters not authorized to vote in the primary runoff may have "diluted" the votes of legitimate Republican voters. It demands that state election officials open up the books and defer to federal law over state statutes in disclosing election records. The group said it became suspicious after turnout rates shot up in certain precincts and its requests to view records were denied. "We are not approaching it from a belief of who should have won the race. Let's find out what the actual final score was, and which points were legitimate and which were not on either side," said Carl Logan, True the Vote's communications director. "At the end of the day we don't care who wins or loses." Logan explained that the group gathered complaints from Mississippi voters who said they observed violations of election law. One voter complained in an e-mail to Logan that he was not asked for photo identification when he went to vote, which was required for the first time this election under Mississippi law. "He was concerned that he could not have been the only one not to show an ID in the primary runoff," Logan said. He added that True the Vote will encourage voters with complaints to contact their local election officials. State party says group misunderstands the law . The nonprofit's lawsuit was joined by 13 Mississippi voters, several of whom are affiliated with the tea party. They claim that election officials denied some of their requests to view voting records or demanded "exorbitant fees," Logan said. Joe Nosef, the chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said in a statement that True the Vote's lawsuit is based on a "misunderstanding of both Mississippi law" and the state party's role in the election. "Since these allegations do not include anything the MSGOP did or is doing wrong, we will ask to be released from this lawsuit soon," Nosef said. The lawsuit asks for full access to unredacted Mississippi election records for the Republican primary -- which would include voters' birth dates and Social Security numbers -- to allow True the Vote to accurately verify whether illegal ballots were counted. Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, and an expert in national election law, said he believes a thorough review of election records will reveal fewer illegal votes than skeptics of the runoff claim. Levitt said that partial election records, like those reviewed by True the Vote and McDaniel supporters, can often overstate voter fraud, which is later revealed as clerical error or due to voters with identical names and birth dates -- which Levitt said is actually very common. "It's always difficult to predict what is going to happen," Levitt said. "They can give more or less of a thumbs up or down on each of the lawsuit's claims." While the group may gain access to more election records through the lawsuit, Mississippi College law professor Matthew Steffey said it is unlikely the review of records will lead to a new election. "I don't think showing that 1 to 2% of the electorate had some irregularity is enough," Steffey said. "If it were easy to get courts to order a new election, we would have had a new vote in Florida" during the challenge to the presidential election results in 2000. Mississippi has no provisions for election recounts. 5 controversial moments in the Mississippi election . Mississippi tea party leader tied to campaign smear dead in apparent suicide . | McDaniel campaign serves papers to Cochran with intent to challenge .
The campaign says it found nearly 5,000 "irregularities" in primary voting records .
McDaniel supporters call foul after Cochran's campaign turns to Democratic voters .
Conservative group files a lawsuit asking for full access to GOP primary voting records . |
131,463 | 35fcfa403d397912380fa936c4451a54323507fd | By . James Restall . Watch out West Ham, there is a new footballing power on the march in east London. That is the message Barry Hearn believes his sale of Leyton Orient to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti has sent to the Barclays Premier League side. Becchetti, the head of renewable energy and waste management firm the Becchetti Energy Group, acquired the club earlier this week and Hearn, who has been made Orient’s honorary president, believes that the takeover will allow Orient to compete with their Premier League neighbours. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Hearn say Becchetti will change the club forever . Passing the baton: Hearn (right) has stepped aside after selling his shares to Becchetti (left) Italian job: Becchetti proudly holds aloft and Orient scarf at Brisbane Road on Thursday . 'If I was West Ham I would be petrified of this fella,' Hearn said. 'This guy can do anything he wants to do if he has the belief and passion. As a fan I don’t think I have been more excited in 20 years about what could happen to this football club. It is what dreams are made of.' Becchetti was at Wembley in May when Orient were pipped to promotion to the Championship by Rotherham on penalties in the League One play-off final, and the new owner has backed manager Russell Slade to go one better this season. 'I am already envisioning a Championship club,' Becchetti said. Even this year something can happen. We have to forget that penalty and we have to start from zero again. So near yet so far: Orient missed out on promotion to the Championship on penalties to Rotherham . 'Russell was told to give us a list of players and tell us in which position you need reinforcement. For every role you need give me a list of five players and give us the priorities. One minute later he was given permission to start negotiating with the first players on the list. I think he is still hard at work now. 'I am a little bit meticulous – the list will have to be signed by him. He didn’t hesitate – at the end of the season we will go over that list again and assess whether those were the right priorities.' Becchetti, who has never previously owned a football club, chose to buy Orient over Reading and Birmingham because for its lack of debt and London location. 'We decided to invest in football in England as this is the top notch industry in the world,' he said. 'It was difficult to find a team whose accounts are in order – we did not want to settle other peoples’ debts. Ambitious: Becchetti is targeting promotion in his first season at the club . 'Leyton Orient has a long and great history and roots are important to us. London is one of the most important centres of the world and the team deserves a higher position. These factors brought our focus to Leyton Orient. Last week Orient settled their dispute with the Premier League about West Ham’s move to the Olympic Stadium, with Becchetti confirming that the club would remain at their Brisbane Road home in Leyton for the foreseeable future. 'Generally I never look at what others do. I am focused on our project and I think that if our project is strong and everything is properly planned everything will happen naturally,' Becchetti said. Room to manouevre: Manager Russell Slade has already given Becchetti a list of transfer targets . 'If we have the right passion no one else will compromise our success. If we have the right dose of passion maybe other people will be worried about us. Let’s focus on the present. We have a stadium now, we have to think about the people who will come to our stadium and transmit their passion to our players' While Hearn sold his 90 per cent stake in the club to Becchetti earlier this week the boxing promoter still owns the stadium, which the Italian has the option of purchasing in two years’ time. Becchetti also confirmed that a deal is '99 per cent' complete to appoint former Inter Milan and Italy defender Mauro Milanese as Orient’s sporting director. 'He has a great desire to work in London and will support us and support Russell,' the chairman said. | Francesco Becchetti unveiled as new Leyton Orient owner .
Italian bought the club from long-serving Barry Hearn last week .
Hearn 'excited' at what Becchetti has planned for Orient .
Becchetti targeting promotion to the Championship next season . |
98,720 | 0b2266628571a0b455420f550405812d95e9cee2 | Nogales, Mexico (CNN) -- Inside a Mexican jail, Yanira Maldonado wept. A devout Mormon, the Arizona mother of seven said Wednesday she's been turning to scripture to survive ever since authorities falsely accused her of drug smuggling last week. "Reading the scriptures, reading the Book of Mormon, praying, fasting," Maldonado told CNN. "And all the support that I've been getting from my family, my husband, my children, and everybody out there reaching out to help." A judge is weighing whether to set Maldonado free after authorities accused her of drug smuggling and alleged they found 12 pounds of marijuana under her bus seat. Maldonado maintained her innocence Wednesday. "I'm a good mom. I love the gospel. I'm LDS. And we work hard to have what we have," she said. "You know, we're not rich, but we're very honest and we always do our best to help other people." The Mexican military officials who arrested Maldonado haven't made their case yet in court. The soldiers were scheduled to appear Wednesday, but didn't show, according to a defense attorney. Hearings in the case are set to continue Friday. Maldonado's family denies the charges and says they're optimistic the case against her is crumbling. "We have high hopes," Anna Soto, Maldonado's daughter, told CNN on Wednesday. "So I'm just looking forward to that. Hopefully, Friday, I'm praying that she will be home and be set free." It's a situation Maldonado said she never imagined when she boarded a bus last week to head back to the United States after attending her aunt's funeral in Mexico. "I was at the checkpoint. They asked us to get off bus. And they were checking for drugs or I don't know what else," she said. "And they say they found something under my seat. But I never saw anything. They didn't show me anything. It was just amazing all that, what they did." Fearing for her life . Earlier this week, Maldonado's cuffed hands gripped a metal bar as a truck carrying her to testify barreled down the street. One thought went through her mind, she told CNN, crying as she recalled her fear that the fast-moving Mexican police convoy would crash. "I'm not a killer. I'm not a criminal. I'm just here by mistake because people are not doing their work," she said. "This is not right. I need to be back with my family. I need to be out of here. I need help." Since her arrest, Maldonado said her views toward the country where she was born have changed drastically. Asked before by friends about going south of the border, Maldonado never thought twice when she gave advice. "I used to tell people, 'Come to Mexico. It's not true what they're saying. I go every year to visit my family. ... I come, I drive myself, nothing happens.' ... Look what's happening to me now. I cannot say that anymore," Maldonado told CNN. "I don't want anybody to go through this." If she's released from prison, Maldonado says she's not sure whether she'll ever return to Mexico. From a bus seat to a jail cell . Mexican authorities arrested Maldonado last Wednesday as she and her husband, Gary, were on their way back to Arizona. Gary Maldonado said he believes Mexican soldiers at the checkpoint wanted a bribe. A Mexican state official also told CNN it appears that Maldonado was framed. Another daughter, Brenda Pedraza, called the arrest "outrageous." Her mother was recently by her side, she said, cradling her newborn granddaughter. "She's just a wonderful mom and a wonderful grandma and she would never jeopardize her life to lose this, to lose her family," she told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday. The family relies on Maldonado and misses her, Pedraza said. "I still need her, you know, being a new mom. I still need her advice, her guidance. We've heard that the minimum is 10 years. Ten years is a whole lifespan. We don't have that time, 10 years, to be separated," Pedraza said, choking back tears. "Please, to the officials in Mexico, please do your part and really investigate, because I know my mom has nothing to do with those illegal drugs." After testifying in court on Tuesday, Gary Maldonado told CNN affiliate KTVK that he was feeling optimistic. "We're hoping for the best outcome. ... We don't think they have a case," he said. The Mexican Embassy in Washington said in a statement that a preliminary decision from the judge was expected soon. Questions about arrest . A Sonora state official with extensive knowledge of the case told CNN there are questions about the arrest. "Can you imagine?" asked the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media and did not want to be named. "A passenger by himself or herself would have been unable to carry almost six kilos of marijuana onto a bus without being noticed. She must've been framed." A regional office of Mexico's Defense Ministry said troops conducting a routine investigation stopped the bus Maldonado was riding in and and found 12.5 pounds (5.7 kilograms) of a substance that appeared to be marijuana under her seat. Troops turned the case over to the Mexican attorney general's office, the defense ministry said. Maldonado is being housed in a women's prison in Nogales while authorities decide her fate. The Sonora state division of the attorney general's office said the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide additional information. Her husband was told by authorities that regardless of his wife's guilt or innocence, he would have to pay $5,000 to secure her freedom, the family said. He was able to cobble together the money but then was told it was too late. His wife had been transferred to another jail. U.S. officials monitoring the case . Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, is monitoring the case, his office said. The State Department has also been in touch with the family. "The U.S. Consulate in Nogales is monitoring the case closely," State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. "They are in regular contact with Ms. Maldonado and her family, and her legal counsel, and they're working to schedule another visit with her. The last time we were able to visit with her was May 24." The State Department estimates that several thousand U.S. citizens are arrested in Mexico each year. But it's unclear exactly how many U.S. citizens have been detained in Mexico, the State Department said. "We don't have the exact breakdown for Mexico, and the embassy would not have that information either," said Elizabeth A. Finan, a spokeswoman for the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affiairs. "However, I can say millions of U.S. citizens travel to Mexico each year, and most have uneventful trips. Arrests happen every day, as you might expect with such a high volume of visitors." Some arrests go unreported to U.S. officials, and sometimes arrested individuals do not request consular assistance, Finan wrote in an e-mail to CNN. "Arrest cases are not uncommon in Mexico," she said, "and our consular officers work hard to assist all U.S. citizens who come to us for help." 'Blind mules' unknowingly ferry drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border . Former Marine released from Mexican prison . CNN's Rafael Romo reported from Nogales, Mexico. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet wrote the story in Atlanta. CNN's Christine Theodorou, Mariano Castillo, Paul Courson, Lateef Mungin and Rene Hernandez contributed to this report. | An Arizona mom accused of drug smuggling says she is innocent .
Daughter to Mexican officials: "Please do your part and really investigate"
A Mexican judge is weighing the case against the Mormon mother of seven .
Maldonado was on her way back from a funeral when authorities arrested her . |
119,926 | 27008721fc49a6c63c5d8c5766d4809752059180 | Washington (CNN) -- Baseball all-time home run champion Barry Bonds won a big legal victory Friday when a federal appeals court ruled that evidence the government says would prove he lied about using steroids is inadmissible in court. The San Francisco-based 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, in a divided opinion, said the government cannot use urine samples and other evidence in its perjury case against the former San Francisco Giants star. Bonds was indicted in federal court in December 2008 on 10 counts of making false statements to a grand jury -- specifically, denying that he knowingly took steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. His criminal trial has been delayed while the legal issues are being worked out. It was unclear whether the Justice Department will now appeal to the Supreme Court in an effort to allow the evidence to be used in court. The Appeals Court ruling upholds a February 2009 ruling from U.S. District Judge Susan Illston that there was no proof that positive steroid tests from 2000 and 2001 were Bonds' and that out-of-court statements from his former trainer, Greg Anderson, are hearsay. The appeals court majority said the repeated refusal of Anderson to testify against Bonds means evidence allegedly gathered by him is considered "inadmissible, since he would be unable to vouch for its authenticity." Robert Talbot, a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law said the ruling essentially torpedoes the prosecution's case, which was heavily dependent on evidence and information from Bonds' former trainer. "There was a link missing here, that the only way to get down to the nitty-gritty that this was from Barry Bonds was using hearsay testimony," Talbot said. Anderson, he said, "had possession of the evidence and he had that knowledge, and you can't use that knowledge unless he actually testifies under oath." "To try and prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly in San Francisco where there are going to be many, many people chosen for a jury who would be behind Barry Bonds -- it should be the death knell," Talbot said. "Practically speaking they should say, 'We gave it our best shot, and it's just not there,'" he said. Anderson allegedly took urine samples and delivered them to a Bay-area lab known as BALCO. At issue in the appeal was whether the tested samples actually came from Bonds, and Anderson's employment status at the time. The appeals court concluded Anderson was an "independent contractor" -- not directly hired by Bonds. Because Bonds also did not control the samples, the court reasoned, Anderson would need to testify in person on the material and the chain of possession. The government said it would instead bring BALCO executive James Valente to the stand to testify Anderson told him the samples indeed came from Bonds. The court ultimately agreed with the arguments presented by Bonds' lawyers. "Because the government was attempting to use Anderson's out-of-court statements to prove the truth of what they contained, Bonds argued that Anderson's statements were inadmissible hearsay and that the lab results could not be authenticated as Bonds' in that manner." Bonds hit a record-setting 73 homers in the 2001 season. That same year, as well as before and after, the FBI said BALCO Laboratories recorded urine and blood tests, under the name "Barry Bonds," showing "positive" results for steroids and performance-enchancing drugs. The government had the burden of showing the samples came from Bonds, then went to Anderson and then to BALCO. Anderson has refused to testify and has been jailed for contempt of court on several occasions. "There must be at least some manifestation of assent to the principal's right to control," said the court of Bonds. "Here, the testing was performed on Anderson's own initiative and not at the request of Bonds. The dissent incorrectly assumes otherwise. Thus, the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding that Anderson was not an agent for the limited purpose of the drug testing." The government alleges BALCO helped supply Bonds with steroids and drug-masking substances. BALCO was accused of covertly marketing tetrahydrogestrinone -- known as "the Clear" -- a then-undetectable performance-enhancing steroid. Company founder Victor Conte and associates such as Anderson allegedly supplied other top athletes with the Clear and human growth hormone, assuring the competitors they would not be caught cheating. The lab performed repeated tests on athletes, said the government, to check whether the drugs were detectable. Top professional football and track stars were caught up in the scandal, prosecutors say. Steroid use was banned by Major League Baseball in 2003. Neither the government nor Bonds had an immediate reaction to the ruling. In light of the decision, it remains unclear whether the criminal trail will proceed. The case is U.S. v. Bonds (09-10079). CNN's Augie Martin and Matt Cherry contributed to this report. | NEW: Law professor: "It should be the death knell" for prosecution .
Appeals Court says there is no proof that the steroid tests were from Bonds .
Former trainer, who reportedly said samples came from Bonds, refuses to testify .
No word yet on further appeal . |
163,531 | 5f744cacde59d899dc49c6399ed10e2e2b15425f | Police are hunting for a suspect who senselessly punched a deaf man and an autistic teenager in a horrific bus attack while travelling through Melbourne's south-east. The alleged male offender got on a bus at Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre in the suburb of Mulgrave on September 7 along with the two victims. They were travelling in a 813 bus heading to Keysborough which was run by Ventura Bus Lines. Later during the bus trip about 3pm, the offender moved towards a deaf man, 32, and quizzed him on where he was directing his gaze. Police are looking for this man who alleged punched a 32-year-old deaf man and a 14-year-old boy in the face on a bus in Melbourne's south-east . When the 32-year-old did not answer him, the attacker proceeded to punch the man in the face before returning to his seat, the Dandenong Leader reported. But the attacks continued, with the suspect targeting a second victim on the bus - a 14-year-old boy with autism - who had been so alarmed by the first incident that he had removed himself to be closer to the driver of the bus. The offender - described to be between the ages of 15 and 25 - was not deterred and followed the teenager before punching him in the face a number of times. Dandenong Sergeant Cassandra Stone said the 14-year-old suffered a bloody nose and cuts to the inside and outside of his mouth. The incident took place on September 7 and happened about 3pm on a bus going to Keysborough . A Victoria Ambulance spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the paramedics were called to the corner of Kingsclere Avenue and Turramurra Drive in Keysborough on September 7 at 3.15pm. She said they treated a 'high school-aged' boy with facial injuries before transporting him to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition. The spokeswoman also confirmed nobody else was treated at the scene. Sgt Stone said nobody on the bus - not even the driver who saw both incidents unfold - intervened during the 'unprovoked' attacks. The man and the victims were travelling on a 813 bus run by Ventura Bus Lines . She told the Dandenong Leader the attacks were 'frightening' and the witnesses were 'just dumbstruck at someone being so blatantly aggressive for no reason'. 'It's pretty appalling, considering he's picked on vulnerable, disabled people... it was definitely unprovoked,' Sgt Stone said. 'The 14-year-old kid said he was shocked, scared and it caused him to fall off his seat to the ground and cry.' Police said the attacker was described as being about 175cm tall, having short black hair with an olive complexion, and had a grey T-shirt and dark-coloured shorts on. He disembarked the bus around the Kingsclere Avenue area in Keysborough. Anyone who has information in relation to these incidents are urged to call the Dandenong Police Station on 9767 7444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. | Two attacks happened on a bus travelling through Melbourne's south-east .
They happened on September 7 and instigated by a man captured on CCTV .
The man and two victims got on a bus at a Mulgrave shopping centre .
Police say the attacks were 'unprovoked' and caused facial injuries to a 14-year-old boy .
'It caused him to fall off his seat to the ground and cry,' a police officer said .
Nobody on the bus - not even the driver - intervened during the incidents . |
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